ISLAMABAD: A subcommittee of the federal cabinet has approved the prices of 52 newly registered life-saving medicines, marking a significant step toward improving access to essential treatments for patients across Pakistan.
The meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, was attended by Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, the Health Secretary, and senior officials of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
According to an official statement, the approved medicines include treatments for cancer, diabetes, hemophilia, and Parkinson’s disease.
The decision is expected to facilitate the availability of several advanced therapies that were previously inaccessible or delayed due to pricing approvals.
The prices will now be submitted to the federal cabinet for final approval. Once endorsed by the cabinet, DRAP will issue an official price notification, after which the medicines can be legally marketed and sold in Pakistan.
Among the approved medicines is Keytruda, a cutting-edge immunotherapy drug widely used worldwide in the treatment of more than 20 types of cancer.
Other approved medicines include Nivolumab, Dasatinib, Meropenem, and various insulin products. During the meeting, the Ministry of National Health Services stressed the need for the swift approval of medicine prices to ease difficulties faced by patients.
The ministry also emphasized that pricing decisions should be guided by transparency and the broader public interest.
Officials said delays in approving prices had forced many patients to rely on unregistered, smuggled, or expensive imported medicines.
They expressed confidence that the latest decision would improve the availability of quality, registered medicines in the local market while reducing dependence on illegal supply channels.
Read also: Government medicines scandal, former DG Health Dr. Shaukat’s bail application rejected
