Govt Approves Prices for 35 Life-Saving Medicines

The federal government has approved price fixation for 35 essential and life-saving medicines, with another 45 molecules expected to be cleared soon, in a move aimed at addressing shortages that had affected patient treatment across Pakistan.

A senior official said the decision is expected to improve the availability of critical therapies that had remained inaccessible due to delays in pricing approvals. The shortages had forced many patients to either miss treatment or rely on expensive, unregulated alternatives.

According to the official, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal raised the issue at the cabinet level and briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the urgency of resolving delays in price approvals.

The government had previously delayed the matter over concerns that price fixation could be perceived as an increase, leading to prolonged inaction over the past two years.

The prime minister was informed that delays in pricing approvals were disrupting supply chains and putting patients at risk, particularly those requiring continuous treatment.

The affected medicines include a range of critical therapies such as oncology drugs, transplant medicines, cardiovascular treatments, and vaccines, including those for typhoid, polio, and pneumococcal infections.

Other products impacted by the delay include recombinant human coagulation factor VIII, human rabies immunoglobulin, and semaglutide.

Officials said the lack of availability had created treatment gaps for patients suffering from cancer, haemophilia, severe infections, and chronic conditions. In many cases, patients had turned to informal markets to obtain medicines, raising concerns about safety, quality, and effectiveness.