ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday said decisions on the prices of essential medicines must be transparent and guided by the public interest, signaling the government’s attempt to balance mounting industry pressure for price increases with concerns over patients’ access to life-saving drugs.
The country’s pharmaceutical manufacturers have for months urged the government to revise medicine prices, arguing that high import costs have made many products commercially unviable, sometimes leading to shortages of essential medicines.
The finance minister reviewed the matter while chairing the eighth meeting of the cabinet committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to consider recommendations from the Drug Pricing Committee and the Policy Board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
“Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb emphasized that drug pricing decisions be transparent, evidence-based with consultative approach and guided by the broader public interest,” said an official statement circulated after the meeting of the cabinet committee on drug pricing chaired by the finance minister. “He underscored the importance of balancing patient access to essential medicines with the sustainability of pharmaceutical supply and affordability for patients.”
“He also highlighted the need for clear public engagement to explain the rationale behind decisions affecting critical medicines,” the statement added.
DRAP officials also briefed the committee on the availability of essential medicines, while members reviewed progress made since the committee’s previous meeting.
Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry has repeatedly sought increases in the prices of essential and life-saving medicines, saying higher manufacturing costs have eroded margins and forced some companies to scale back production or withdraw products from the market.
However, there have also been concerns that any significant increase could make already expensive medicines even less affordable, particularly for low-income households.
