LAHORE: Scores of pharmacists lodged on Tuesday a protest demonstration against the drug price hike and demanded that the National Accountability Bureau probe the issue of public interest.

The pharmacists alleged that pharmaceuticals had joined hands with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to mint money by making uncalled for price increase.

They had gathered outside the Lahore Press Club under the banner of Pakistan Young Pharmacist Association.

The association’s top office-bearers including Dr Haroon Yousaf, Dr Hina Shaukat, Dr Mohammad Ahmad and Dr Azhar Iqbal were also present on the occasion, besides senior pharmacist Dr Noor Mohammad Mahar.

Addressing the rally, Dr Hina said many multinational and local firms ‘dropped price bomb’ especially on the critical patients by increasing prices by 300 per cent.

She alleged that some senior DRAP officials were ‘giving relief’ to the firms which is evident from the fact that the authority itself has increased prices thrice in 2016.

Dr Noor Mahar said DRAP and the federal government had been misleading the relevant authorities that no price was increased by the authority.

He said the Drug Price Committee (DPC) meetings uploaded on the website of the DRAP had blatantly exposed them in this regard.

He said the meeting minutes of the DPC itself revealed that how many times the price was officially increased during 2016.

The PYPA leaders also appealed to the NAB to initiate inquiry into the ‘illegal’ price hike. The protesting pharmacists also raised slogans against DRAP holding it responsible for the medicine crisis.

They continued agitation for an hour and later dispersed making an announcement to widen the protest in the next phase if the authorities delayed action in this public interest issue.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2016