No price change for life-saving medications, 25 new drugs notified: DRAP

ISLAMABAD – The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has affirmed that there have been no alterations in the prices of life-saving drugs, further disclosing notifications for 25 newly registered medicines.

In an official press statement issued on Thursday, DRAP clarified that the prices of essential life-saving drugs remain unaffected.

Notably, the cost of paracetamol remains unchanged, except for the introduction of a combination drug.

The spokesperson emphasized that the 25 medicines for which prices have been announced are novel and have not been previously registered in Pakistan.

Among these, the groundbreaking cancer treatment drug Lorviqua has been established at a price of Rs 846,857. For patients battling lung cancer, a medication option will be accessible at an approximate cost of Rs 850,000.

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Patients seeking relief from asthma will find solace in an inhaler priced at Rs 1,390. Additionally, an injection designed for hepatitis treatment is set at a cost of Rs 10,275.

As outlined in the DRAP notification, the revised price for a 20-tablet package of paracetamol, combined with diphenhydramine, stands at Rs 192. Meanwhile, chloroquine, a medication vital in malaria treatment, will be obtainable for Rs 1,007.

For cancer patients requiring the injection Bortezomib, the cost is marked at Rs  17,513. Similarly, Zerbexa, an essential medication for infection treatment, has been priced at Rs 15,356.

DRAP underlined that the prices of the aforementioned medications remain constant, with no increments or reductions. The specified medicines represent a fresh roster of registrations, hitherto unavailable within Pakistan.