The Senate's Standing Committee on National Regulations and Services on Monday asked the Ministry of National Regulations and Services to finalise the 'drug pricing policy for 2013' as soon as possible for ensuring provision of medicines to masses at reasonable rates.
The committee also told the Ministry to incorporate amendments proposed by the Senate panel on the Drug Regulatory Authority Ordinance (DRAO). The meeting was presided over by Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah and attended by Senators Karim Ahmed Khawaja, Almas Parveen, Farah Aqil, Abdul Haseeb Khan, Minister for National Regulations and Services Shahzada Jamal Nazir, Secretary of the ministry Imtiaz Inayat Elahi and other officials.
Shahzada Jamal Nazir assured the committee that the Ministry will soon prepare the pricing policy of drugs 2013 to facilitate masses. He also told the committee that he would personally visit the Establishment Division and the Ministry of Finance regarding the appointment of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
"There will be no compromise on corruption, if anybody tries to do so it will be over my dead body," he said. Senator Haseeb Khan said that massive corruption was being committed in fixation of drugs prices in connivance with many influential people, who remained behind the scene. He said that he had moved the drug regulatory bill 2012, but the government had presented its own bill and omitted 15 suggestions proposed by the committee.
The secretary of Ministry of National Regulations said that the law was passed by both houses of parliament and under the law, the Ministry could not incorporate amendments made by the committee in the bill, without the consent of all provinces. "The Ministry has sent letters to all provinces in this regard and is waiting for their response," he said.