ISLAMABAD-Ministry of National Health Services on Tuesday while taking notice of the unauthorised hike in the prices of medicines in the country directed the pharmaceutical companies to submit their price lists.
The ministry directed the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to take action against the companies. It also admitted that a large number of pharmaceutical companies were not submitting the calculations of annual increase in the retail price of the medicine as per DRAP policy.
A notification issued by the ministry of NHS said that some complaints had been received that unscrupulous elements in the pharmaceutical industry had increased prices of their drugs beyond the maximum retail prices approved by the federal government. It said that in recent past, maximum retail price of 889 drugs were notified after approval of the federal government. In addition, increase of 9% above the notified prices was allowed for the listed drugs. In case of all other drugs, increase of 15 percent was allowed vide the notification. “You are therefore advised to monitor MRPs in the market and ensure that MRPs of drugs are not higher than the prices notified vide the official SRO”, the letter stated.
It also said that in case of stocks available in the retail shops and manufactured/imported prior to the issuance of the SROs, the medicines must be sold at the previous MRPs printed on the label in the manner prescribed by Drugs Rules 1986 and that stickers cuttings are not allowed.
In case of non compliance, legal action may be taken against violations under the Drugs Act 2012 and rules framed there under SRO913, said the official order.
Meanwhile, the letter written to Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufactures’ Association, Pharma Bureau and Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association stressed all the bodies to submit the price lists of drugs in compliance of the Drug Act.
The letter said that it had been observed that most of the companies were not submitting calculation of annual increase in MRPs along with evidence as per conditions of Drug Pricing Policy 2018.
Meanwhile, complaints against unauthorised increase in drug prices are being received directly to DRAP or through Prime Minister’s citizen portal. Official sources said that DRAP had also written similar letter to pharmaceutical companies two years ago but it failed in gathering any data from the companies
Pharmaceutical companies in a quiet but sharp move had dodged the DRAP and increased medicines’ prices up to 100 percent in violation of the official order.
The DRAP, working under ministry of National Health Services, had allowed pharmaceutical companies in January to increase the prices of the medicine from 9 to 15 percent.
However, the companies taking the benefit of weak price checking mechanism have increased the prices of several products up to 100 percent.
The prices of medicine including those of blood pressure, diabetes, TB and cardiac diseases have been also increased quietly by the companies without any official approval by the government.