• Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum says comparison shows ‘significant hike’ in medicine prices, regrets ‘patients with chronic illnesses suffering the most’
• Association claims prices remain ‘unchanged’ as supply stays ‘stable’

ISLAMABAD: While stakeholders have alleged that an unprecedented increase in medicine prices has been observed since February 2024, the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has claimed that the prices of essential medicines have remained unchanged.

Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum President Noor Muhammad Mehr has alleged that the prices of a number of medicines had increased by over 100 per cent during the last two years. He warned that the surge had become unbearable for the public, particularly for patients who were dependent on life-saving and routine medications.

Talking to Dawn, he said the caretaker government in February 2024 had decontrolled the prices of drugs, due to which pharmaceutical companies received an opportunity to implement an unprecedented increase in rates.

“Those suffering from chronic illnesses and relying on continuous medication for survival are suffering the most, as prices have increased manifold compared with the percentage increase in income,” he added.

Price comparison

In a statement, he said a detailed comparative analysis of old and new batches of various medicines revealed significant price hikes, in some cases exceeding a 100pc increase. He said the price of thyroid medication Thyronorm had surged by approximately 241pc, while the insulin delivery device HumaPen Ergo II increased by 114pc — figures he termed “deeply alarming”.

He said that the prices of Bevidox had jacked up by 20pc, CitroSoda by 17pc, and Tiovair by 15pc, while comparatively smaller increases were observed in Surbex-Z and Lice-O-Mite lotion.

Mr Mehr said that a price comparison showed CitroSoda increased from Rs530 to Rs620, Surbex-Z from Rs480 to Rs510, Bevidox from Rs500 to Rs600, HumaPen Ergo II from Rs2,200 to Rs4,720, Thyronorm from Rs85.10 to Rs290, Tiovair from Rs805 to Rs930, and Lice-O-Mite Lotion from Rs147.44 to Rs152.06.

He emphasised that the rise in the prices of medicines for diabetes, thyroid disorders and respiratory illnesses was particularly harmful, as patients suffering from these conditions depended on uninterrupted treatment.

He pointed out that discrepancies in pricing between different batches of the same medicines were showing weaknesses in the pricing and regulatory oversight mechanisms.

The Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum has called on the government and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) to take immediate notice of the situation, enforce strict price control measures and provide urgent relief to the public.

Mr Mehr warned that failure to address the issue could escalate into a major public health crisis. He announced that the forum would pursue all legal and constitutional avenues to safeguard public rights and raise the matter at relevant forums.

PPMA’s denial

However, the PPMA has issued a statement claiming that essential medicines, including insulin and other life-saving drugs, remained widely available across Pakistan and that their prices had not increased despite a more than 20pc rise in fuel prices.

In response to some reports, the PPMA said that the prices of essential medicines, which were regulated by the government, had remained unchanged in recent months, even as fuel costs, freight charges and import expenses for raw materials had risen due to the ongoing regional situation.

It maintained that there is no shortage of medicines in the country, with both essential and non-essential drugs available in sufficient quantities. Medicines such as insulin, antibiotics, cardiovascular drugs, antihypertensives, anti-diabetics and vaccines are being supplied without interruption.

According to the PPMA, the country’s drug manufacturers have absorbed significant cost pressures linked to the import of active pharmaceutical ingredients and other inputs, while ensuring that production and distribution systems continue to function smoothly.

However, it pointed out that the unavailability of certain life-saving and advanced therapies was linked to delays in government price notifications, despite prior approvals by the Drap.

“These include a number of modern cancer therapies, vaccines, immunoglobulins and other critical medicines, whose prices have been approved but not formally notified, preventing their regular availability in the market,” an industry official said.

The association emphasised that timely notification of approved prices would improve the availability of these medicines and reduce pressure on patients already facing rising treatment costs.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2026