NA Body To Resolve Medicines' Pricing, Quality Issues

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st july,2016) : National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination on Thursday decided to hold daily-basis meeting from August 9 to resolve the issues of pricing and quality of medicines. The committee meeting which was chaired by MNA Dr Khalid Hussain Magsi asked the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to attend the committee meetings and submit recommendations for having proper discussion on legislation. MNA Dr Zulfiqar Bhatti said that pharmaceutical companies arrange foreign visits of doctors to promote their relevant medicines while medicine of worth Rs 10 is being sold at Rs 100.

He urged to have proper check and control on these matters.

CEO DRAP Dr Aslam Khan said that every pharmaceutical company has to reduce 30% price after spending four years of registration of such medicine. He said that DRAP was facing legislation issues due to which pricing and quality issues could not be addressed properly. The committee members assured that the PMDC bill will be approved in joint session and that no one will be allowed to create hurdles in way of legislation of PMDC. Earlier, President PMDC Dr Shabir Lehri apprised the committee about the status of PMDC bill.

The committee sought legal condition of the bill from National Assembly legal advisor who informed that now only joint session will approve the bill as 90 days period has been spent.