Patients Face Shortage of Life-Saving Medicines in Karachi

Patients and their families in Karachi are facing difficulties in obtaining several essential medicines, including advanced cancer treatments, vaccines and other life-saving drugs, according to doctors, medicine traders and pharmaceutical industry representatives.

Healthcare professionals say many critical medicines are currently unavailable or in short supply at retail pharmacies, making it difficult for patients to access necessary treatment. Industry sources said the shortage is not related to the ongoing regional conflict.

They explained that most imported medicines and pharmaceutical raw materials used in Pakistan are sourced from China, which continues normal commercial operations. According to pharmaceutical industry representatives, the shortage is largely linked to delays in the official notification of prices for certain medicines.

Recommendations for price fixation have already been submitted by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), but the federal government has yet to formally notify the prices. Without official price approval, companies cannot legally import or supply these medicines in the market.

Doctors say several modern anti-cancer therapies used internationally for the treatment of cancers, including leukemia and other advanced malignancies, are among the medicines affected by the shortage.

Market sources added that some vaccines and medicines used for chronic diseases and other medical conditions are also facing supply problems.

Industry representatives warned that continued delays in price notification can disrupt the regulated supply chain and may push patients to search for medicines through informal markets, where the risk of counterfeit or unregulated products increases.

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