ISLAMABAD - The Health Ministry is again gearing up efforts to establish an independent Drugs Regulatory Authority to control all matters related to pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan, TheNation leanrt reliably here on Tuesday. Earlier, in past many attempts were made to create such an authority but it could not bring positive results. At present the Health Ministry itself is managing all matters, especially the price is controlled by it. In recent past many times the ministry considered to establish an autonomous body but it could not become possible due to which the local pharmaceutical industry took sigh of relief. But again the local pharmaceutical industry is expressing its grievances over the establishment of this authority and they are strictly opposing the idea. "Currently 400 pharmaceutical production units are working in the country and it would only result causing loss to the local investors but nothing else", said a health ministry official while seeking anonymity. "It would give monopoly to certain elements in market, especially the multi-national companies would dominate the local investors after implementation of this Drugs Regulatory Authority", he added. He opined that consumers would be affected if the price controlling power was given to the authority and it would also abruptly increase prices of medicine. When Health Secretary Khushnood Lashari was contacted in this regard, he said the work to establish a final administration for controlling drugs-related matter is in process. Currently, he said, the Health Ministry is consulting all stakeholders and grievances of the people concerned would definitely be addressed before finalising the plan. The establishment of a Drugs Regulation Authority is in accordance with international criteria, he added. To a question he said it is yet not decided whether the authority would have control over price issue or not as still the things are in process. When asked when the plan is going to be implemented, he said the Ministry is only giving a proposal after which it would be presented before the cabinet and after its approval it would be passed from the the parliament.