Cabinet body approves prices of 52 new life-saving medicines

The Cabinet Committee on Drug Pricing, headed by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, approved prices of 52 newly registered life-saving medicines, including cancer drugs, insulin, vaccines and other essential medicines, after the recommendations were endorsed by the DRAP Policy Board.

The cases will now go before the federal cabinet for final approval, after which DRAP will notify the maximum retail prices, allowing the medicines to be legally sold in Pakistan.

The committee was formed by the prime minister to review recommendations of the Drug Pricing Committee and the Policy Board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).

Among the approved medicines is Pembrolizumab, a leading immunotherapy drug used to treat more than 20 types of cancer, including lung, breast, cervical, kidney, bladder, stomach and skin cancers. Other approved medicines include Nivolumab, Irinotecan, Dasatinib and Leucovorin for cancer treatment; Humador insulin for diabetes; Adalimumab for autoimmune diseases; Recombinant Factor VIII for haemophilia A; Carbidopa-Levodopa for Parkinson's disease; Dabigatran and Heparin for preventing blood clots; Methyldopa for hypertension during pregnancy; broad-spectrum antibiotics Meropenem and Fosfomycin; Ketamine for anaesthesia; and various vaccines, radiology contrast agents, and medicines used in intensive care and emergency departments.

The Ministry of National Health Services, led by Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, pushed strongly for immediate price approval, arguing that thousands of patients had been suffering because dozens of newly registered medicines could not be legally sold until their prices were notified. 

The ministry said prolonged delays had pushed many patients toward smuggled, unregistered or spurious medicines, or costly personal imports, exposing them to health risks.

During the meeting, DRAP gave a detailed presentation on drug price fixation cases, hardship applications, pricing matters, and the availability of essential medicines, and briefed the committee on progress since its last meeting.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said drug pricing decisions must remain transparent, evidence-based and consultative while serving the public interest. He said the government needs to balance patients' access to essential medicines with a sustainable pharmaceutical supply chain and affordability, and stressed the need for effective public communication around such decisions.