DRAP issued notice against hike in medicine prices

LAHORE (92 News) – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday issued notice to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) against the recent hike in prices of medicines. A high court bench conducted preliminary hearing of the petition filed by Nadeem Sarwar. The bench issued notices to the federal, the provincial governments and the DRAP on a petition challenging the recent hike in prices of medicines. The LHC directed the respondents to submit their replies on the next hearing. In the petition, the petitioner dubbing the hike in prices of medicines as illegal said that no new formula had been determined for fixation of drugs prices. The petition also stated that without a price formula the prices could not be fixed.” The petitioner pleaded to the court to declare the DRAP notification as null and void and also order for determination of a formula to fix prices. Earlier on Last Friday, the DRAP announced a price hike of medicines from 9 to 15 percent across the country. The notification stated that the revised maximum retail prices of the medicines will be printed on the label. Drug companies had been demanding an increase in the prices of medicines for some time. The companies had also threatened to stop manufacturing drugs. DRAP, accepting the drug manufacturers’ demands, issued a notification for the increase in medicine prices.

According to the notification:

1.Maximum retail prices of drugs may be increased under paragraph 12 (8) of Drug Pricing Policy, 2018, namely: (a) “Nine percent over and above the maximum retail prices determined as determined under hardship category during the year 2018; and (b) Fifteen percent over and above existing maximum retail prices determined under the Drug Pricing Policy, 2018 for drugs other than those specified in clause (a) 2.The revised maximum retail prices shall be printed on the label in the manner prescribed by the Drugs [Labelling and Packaging] Rules, 1986 and the manufacturers and importers of drugs shall furnish calculations of revised maximum retail price of drugs to the Division of Costing and Pricing of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan before affecting the increase.