Pakistan Approves Prices of 52 Newly Registered Life-Saving Medicines

Islamabad: (Health Reporter)- A subcommittee of the federal cabinet has approved the prices of 52 newly registered life-saving medicines.

The meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, was attended by Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, Health Secretary and officials from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).

The approved medicines include treatments for cancer, diabetes, hemophilia and Parkinson’s disease. The final approval will be given by the federal cabinet, after which DRAP will officially issue a notification allowing the medicines to be legally sold in Pakistan.

The approved list also includes Keytruda, an advanced immunotherapy drug used worldwide for treating more than 20 types of cancer, along with medicines such as nivolumab, dasatinib, meropenem and insulin.

The Ministry of Health emphasized the need for immediate approval of medicine prices due to patients’ difficulties and stressed transparency and public interest in pricing decisions.

Officials said delays had forced patients to rely on unregistered, smuggled and expensive imported medicines, while the decision is expected to improve access to quality medicines and reduce dependence on illegal supplies.