ISLAMABAD: A federal cabinet subcommittee has approved the prices of 52 newly registered life-saving medicines, including treatments for cancer, diabetes, haemophilia and Parkinson’s disease, in a move aimed at improving access to essential medicines across Pakistan.
The meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb in Islamabad. The committee reviewed pricing proposals for newly registered medicines and approved the prices for all 52 products.
Officials said the approved medicines include several advanced treatments for serious and chronic illnesses. Among them is Keytruda, a modern immunotherapy drug used globally to treat more than 20 types of cancer. Other approved medicines include Nivolumab, Dasatinib, Meropenem and insulin, which are widely used to treat cancer, severe infections and diabetes.
The pricing decision will now be sent to the federal cabinet for final approval. Once endorsed, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) will issue an official price notification, allowing the medicines to be legally marketed and sold in the country.
Health Ministry officials said early approval of medicine prices was necessary to address the difficulties faced by patients. Delays in pricing had prevented several newly registered medicines from entering the local market, forcing many patients to rely on unregistered, smuggled or costly imported alternatives.
Authorities believe the approval will improve the availability of high-quality medicines and reduce dependence on illegal supply channels. They said the move will also help ensure that patients have access to safe and regulated treatments through authorised healthcare providers.
During the meeting, the finance minister stressed the importance of transparency and protecting the public interest in decisions related to medicine pricing. He called for a fair pricing mechanism that balances patient affordability with the availability of essential medicines.
