The Ministry of National Health Services faced tough criticism from members of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services over its failure to control medicine prices in the country. During the meeting of the committee chaired by Senator Sajjad Hussain Turi, members lashed out at the ministry and said the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan was equally involved in the increase of the prices.
In January, multinational companies obtained a stay order from the Sindh High Court and increased the prices of medicines by making an excuse that it was not viable for them to manufacture medicines at the rates fixed by Drap. Secretary health informed the committee members that Sindh High Court has sought a detailed reply from the medicine manufacturing companies in the next 15 days and there is hope the matter would be settled soon.
Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar said the ministry was unable to initiate any action against the companies as they get stay order from courts. She also admitted the government has no mechanism to recover additional amount from the companies which they collect from customers and patients. "We don't have any law at the moment to tighten the screws on the medicine manufacturing companies," she said.
The pharmaceutical companies had submitted false affidavits to the court claiming that the prices of medicines were much higher in India, she said, adding that most of the medicines were available at cheaper rates in the neighbouring country. Senator Ateeq Shaikh, however, said the ministry has failed to resolve some genuine issues of the medicine manufacturing companies as well; therefore the companies are not willing to reduce the prices. The minister said the companies have been invited many times and asked to submit their documents with the ministry; so that their genuine issues could be resolved but they failed to do so.
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