Pakistan has recorded a significant rise in medicine prices after deregulation policies allowed pharmaceutical companies to independently set rates for non-essential drugs. A new survey conducted by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan shows that overall medicine costs have increased sharply over the past two years, raising concerns about healthcare affordability and patient access.
According to the survey findings, medicine prices increased by 55 percent following the removal of government price controls on non-essential drugs. Officials explained that the policy change was introduced during the caretaker government as part of broader economic reforms aimed at increasing market efficiency and encouraging competition in the pharmaceutical sector.
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However, the data also shows a mixed trend across the pharmaceutical market, as not all medicines followed the same pricing direction. The report found that 42 percent of medicines actually experienced price reductions, while 55 percent saw increases and 2.27 percent remained unchanged during the survey period across multiple regions.
Moreover, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan conducted the second phase of its survey across more than 700 medicines from 500 non-essential brands. Researchers collected retail price data from 192 pharmacies and medical stores in major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad and Multan to ensure a broad market comparison.
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Meanwhile, officials confirmed that both survey reports will be submitted to the Prime Minister next week for review and policy evaluation. In addition, a third-party assessment will also be presented to the federal cabinet, which will decide whether to continue, adjust or reverse the current deregulation framework based on market performance and public impact.
Despite deregulation for non-essential medicines, essential life-saving drugs remain under strict government price control. Their prices are still regulated according to annual inflation to maintain affordability for patients. While authorities argue that deregulation improves efficiency, critics warn it may increase instability and create additional financial pressure on patients already facing rising healthcare costs.