Govt Fixes Prices of Essential Medicines Amid Shortages

The Federal Government has approved the fixation of prices for 35 essential and life-saving pharmaceutical products, with an additional 45 medicines currently under consideration for approval. This regulatory intervention is intended to address persistent supply shortages that have adversely impacted patient access to critical treatments across Pakistan.

Officials have indicated that prolonged delays in price determination had disrupted pharmaceutical supply chains, resulting in reduced market availability of key therapeutic products and compelling patients to resort to high-cost or unregulated alternatives.

According to reports, the decision was finalized following high-level deliberations, during which Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the urgency of resolving supply constraints. The briefing underscored that continued delays in price approvals were jeopardizing continuity of care and increasing clinical risks for patients requiring sustained treatment.

The medicines covered under the approved framework include therapies for oncology, organ transplantation, cardiovascular conditions, and immunization, including vaccines such as Typhoid Vi, polio, and pneumococcal formulations. Additional products include recombinant human coagulation factor VIII, human rabies immunoglobulin, and semaglutide.

Authorities noted that shortages of these medicines had led to significant treatment gaps, particularly affecting patients with cancer, haemophilia, severe infections, and chronic diseases. In certain cases, patients have turned to informal supply channels, raising concerns regarding product quality, safety, and regulatory compliance.

The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association has welcomed the decision, highlighting that delays over the preceding two years had constrained the availability of both essential and advanced therapeutic products, thereby limiting treatment options for healthcare providers.

The association further observed that supply disruptions had contributed to increased reliance on smuggled pharmaceuticals, posing material risks to public health. It expressed the view that the recent approvals are likely to improve availability and stabilize the supply of critical medicines.

For an extended period exceeding two years, the government had deferred price fixation for essential medicines while maintaining a policy of deregulated pricing for non-essential drugs. Under the current regulatory regime, non-essential medicines remain subject to market-based pricing, whereas essential and life-saving pharmaceuticals continue to be governed by price control mechanisms enforced by the state.