Govt prescribes new fix for drug price headaches

The government has decided in principle to limit the powers of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) and form a new, independent body specifically tasked with overseeing the pricing of life-saving drugs. The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manu­facturers’ Association (PPMA) has expressed optimism that the proposed regulatory body will expedite the resolution of pending drug pricing cases and ensure that future pricing decisions are handled efficiently, preventing medicine shortages. A senior official of the health ministry said that in many countries, drug pricing is managed separately from drug registration authorities. This separation, if implemented in Pakistan, could help address the recurring issue of drug shortages in the market.