Pakistan Faces Shortage of Over 100 Life-Saving Medicines

Pakistan is currently experiencing a shortage of over 100 life-saving medications due to manufacturers halting production, citing the drugs as commercially unsustainable. The issue has been brewing for the past two years as production costs have risen while retail prices have remained unchanged. The shortage impacts drugs used for serious conditions such as cancer, hypertension, and diabetes.

Drug manufacturers and suppliers explain that the problem originated from a gradual increase in production costs, while retail prices have not changed. The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) notes that the cited figure of around 105 affected medicines does not represent the full extent of the issue. Companies have largely ceased submitting new requests for price increases due to unresolved earlier applications.

The Drug Pricing Policy 2018 requires hardship applications for unprofitable medicines to be decided within 60 to 90 days; however, applications from the past two years are still pending decisions. The shortage poses risks for patients, as they may turn to counterfeit or smuggled drugs if genuine medications are unavailable. The government regulates the prices of life-saving medicines, which make up about 40% of all medicines sold in Pakistan.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and the Drug Pricing Committee have recommended revised prices in several cases, but these recommendations need final approval from the federal cabinet. Drug manufacturers now seek a change in the pricing process, allowing DRAP to make final decisions on hardship applications instead of sending them to the cabinet.

The PPMA has discussed the matter with national health service officials, including Prime Minister Mustafa Kamal, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and Prime Minister's Adviser Haroon Akhtar. They agree to bring the issue to the prime minister and push for greater authority for DRAP over drug pricing. Manufacturers argue that they need a 10-15% margin to cover manufacturing and distribution costs, maintain operations, and reinvest in production capacity and new products.