ISLAMABAD: The health ministry on Monday reduced the prices of 20 medicines, including those to treat cancer.

The revision in the maximum retail price by the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) is expected to provide a relief of up to Rs75,000 per month to the patients.

The medicines include those used to treat lung cancer, breast cancer, HIV, blood clotting, blood pressure, eye infections, bone diseases, infertility in women and fungal infections.

According to a document available with Dawn, the price of 30 tablets of 150mg Tarceva has been reduced by 30 per cent. Now, it can not be sold at over Rs214,710.

The price of the 100mg variant of the medicine, used to treat non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, has been capped at Rs172,320.

The price of 450mg Herceptin injection, administered to treat types of breast, oesophagal and stomach cancers, has been reduced by 30pc and set at Rs199,741.

Revision will provide up to Rs75,000 monthly relief to each patient

The maximum price of 60 tablets of Valcyte, to treat cytomegalovirus retinitis in people who have Acquired Immuno­defi­cie­ncy Syndrome (AIDS), has been set at Rs116,165.

According to the document, the maximum price of 28 tablets of Xarelto, an anticoagulant medication used to treat and prevent blood clots, will be Rs4,810.

Similarly, 20 tablets of Co-Renitec cannot be sold at over Rs258. The medicine helps to lower blood pressure by removing extra water and certain electrolytes from the body.

The price of Timoptol eye drops will be Rs184 and that of Clomid, used to treat infertility in women, will be Rs 440.

Similarly, a 3mg injection of Aclasta, used to treat several bone diseases, cannot be sold at over Rs27,514, while the price of five injections of Zofran has been capped at Rs4,659. It is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer drug treatment (chemotherapy) and radiation therapy.

The price per injection of 20mg/1ml Taxotere, a chemotherapy medication used to treat several cancer types, has been set at Rs11,429.

The maximum price of Lamisil Cream, used to treat fungal infections, will be Rs262.

Talking to Dawn, the ministry’s Spokesperson Sajid Shah said that the health minister has been asking the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan to cut the prices of medicines.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.