Govt jacks up prices of 146 life-saving drugs

Islamabad: The federal government has increased the prices of 146 life-saving medicines.

The government has issued a drug price hike notification, according to which the prices of cancer medicines, vaccine and antibiotic drugs have been increased.

Health Ministry officials say that the Drug Regulatory Authority had sent a summary to the government to increase the prices of 262 medicines, but the government has increased the prices of only 146 life-saving medicines included in the list.

According to the officials, the prices of 116 medicines included in the list will be increased by the pharmaceutical companies themselves. The government will now only control the prices of 464 medicines included in the National Essential Medicines List.

Earlier on yesterday, the government deregulated drug prices and allowed pharmaceutical companies to increase prices on their own.