ISLAMABAD: Eli Lilly Pakistan, the maker of Humalog medical insulin used to treat diabetes, has decided to close its Pakistan operations at a time when the pharmaceutical industry says it has become increasingly difficult to survive amid rising product costs.

In a letter written to doctors and seen by Dawn, the US-based company said it was ceasing its promotional efforts in Pakistan as of Nov 9.

However, it added: “We remain committed to helping patients who need our medicines; and therefore, Lilly will continue to make our products available in Pakistan through our distributor.”

Ayesha Tammy Haq, executive director of the Pharma Bureau, a body representing multinational pharmaceuticals in Pakistan, regretted that the company’s new and improved products might not be available for patients in Pakistan in future.

Eli Lilly ceases ‘promotional efforts’ in Pakistan; industry rep says at least two more firms considering leaving

“The company deals in insulin, which means diabetic patients will now be deprived of quality medicines,” Ms Haq told Dawn.

The number of multinational pharma companies in Pakistan had shrunk by more than half to 22 from 48 some two decades ago, she said, adding that another two or three firms had been considering leaving the country “as it has become impossible for them to stay here and supply quality medicines at rates lower than the production cost”.

Ms Haq said she could not understand why the government was denying quality medicines to patients in Pakistan.

Citing an example, she said that when Sri Lanka’s rupee depreciated to 370 against the dollar, that country raised medicine prices by 40 per cent across the board “just to ensure medicines remain available in the country and people get them without interruption”.

In contrast, medicine prices in Pakistan continued to be the same despite significant rupee devaluation and inflation reaching 30pc, she said: “The government needs to make a strategy to ensure that companies would continue selling medicines rather than leaving the country.” She said the Pharma Bureau and the Pakistan Pharma­ceu­tical Manuf­acturers Association had written letters to the government that it should make a policy to ensure medicines availability.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2022