NA body asks DRAP to take action against drugs' overpricing.

ISLAMABAD -- Sub-standing Committee of National Assembly on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination on Friday directed Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to take strict action against overpricing of medicines with active surveillance system.

The committee meeting which was chaired by its convener Nisar Ahmad Cheema, sought lists of those pharmaceutical companies which failed to reduce prices of drugs within one week.

The body expressed displeasure over not following the approved price policy of the DRAP by some pharmaceutical companies. The committee also directed to ensure presence of representatives of pharmaceutical companies.

In a briefing, DRAP officials informed the committee members about prices of medicines and registration process of new pharmaceutical companies and medicines.

They said that a notification regarding drug prices has been issued for 889 medicines out of which prices of 464 have been increased while prices of 395 medicines have been reduced. They said that later the government has further reduced prices of 78 more medicines.

They said that there was no increased in medicines prices for the last 12 years. They said that the DRAP was strictly following international regulations in order to improve the standard of DRAP. They said that steps are being to increase export of medicines.

CEO DRAP, Asim Rauf said that after reduction in prices of medicines, strict compliance of the companies is being ensured. The crackdown will continue...