Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and the representatives of the pharmaceutical industry are likely to finalise much-awaited drug pricing policy at a meeting, scheduled to be held on Tuesday (Nov18). The recommendations of the meeting, being convened on the directives of Sindh High Court, will be sent to prime minister for approval, it was learnt here on Monday.
According to sources, the SHC had also ordered that the meeting should be decisive vis-à-vis formulation of the policy. Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association (PPMA), Pakistan Chemists & Druggists Association (PCDA) and Pharma Bureau as stakeholders will attend the meeting. The meeting to be chaired by the Secretary National Health Services & Co-ordination will be attended by the DRAP's chief executive officer and directors.
Sources said that the pharmaceutical industry has endorsed reference pricing, advising that DRAP to follow the WHO's recommendations in formulating the policy as it not only sets the path for the balance, but also ensures protection and welfare of both the patients and the drug manufacturers. "The WHO's guidelines recommend incorporation of ERP System for pricing policy as it takes multiple factors, including inflation, forex, social mobility, into consideration, besides demand to adjust drug prices.
The external stakeholders has been insisting that the pricing of registered medicines should be referenced to a basket of countries having socio-economic factors similar to that of Pakistan, as this was the only transparent mechanism to provide an enabling operating environment to all stakeholders and also to protect the interests of patients. This will also ensure that drug prices in Pakistan are not higher than the regional countries of Saarc. Sources in the pharma industry hoped that drug pricing policy will be finalised without any further delay, or else it will create acute shortage of many life-saving medicines and hinder investment in this sector.