‘Medicine pricing needs serious attention’: Mustafa Kamal

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal emphasized the need for serious attention to be given to the issue of medicine pricing during a recent address to the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI). According to Kamal, more than 86,000 medicines registered under Pakistan's Track and Trace System can now be authenticated by consumers using their mobile phones.

This initiative, which allows users to scan products and find out their prices, has streamlined the process that previously took years to complete, now taking just 21 days.

Kamal also highlighted that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has been fully transparent and digitized, with the certification procedures shifting to a digital system eight months ago. During this period, over 5,000 cases have been processed. He noted that the pharmaceutical industries are seeking an increase in medicine prices, but this matter is currently under consideration by the federal cabinet.

Kamal pointed out that the issue of medicine pricing presents a dual challenge. On one hand, increasing medicine prices would create additional financial difficulties for ordinary citizens, while on the other hand, maintaining unchanged prices could lead to shortages of medicines for serious illnesses. As a result, in some cases, patients have been forced to purchase the same medicines from the black market at three times their actual price.