The federal government has decided to allow pharmaceutical companies to increase prices of 94 lifesaving medicines in order to end the chronic shortage of these drugs in the market.
To address long-term shortage of some key or life saving medicines, the federal cabinet has allowed rationalizing prices of drugs that had been reported to be in short supply due to unrealistically low prices,” said Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan
He said the drugs whose prices have been allowed to increase include medicines such as furosemide injections for emergency use in high blood pressure; acetazolamide tablets for glaucoma; hydralazine tablets for lowering blood pressure and carbamazepine tablets and suspension for epilepsy.
Atropine sulphate injection used in emergencies; magnesium sulphate used to treat seizures due to preeclampsia during pregnancy; hydroxyurea, daunorubicin, bleomycin –all used in the treatment of cancer; nitroglycerin and glyceryl trinitrate used as emergency heart medicines and anti-rabies vaccine are also among the medicines.
Muhammad Naeem
Karachi
