The federal government has approved the pricing of 52 new essential medicines, including a range of advanced treatments for cancer, hypertension, diabetes and respiratory illnesses, along with vaccines aimed at preventing infectious diseases.
The decision is expected to improve access to several critical medicines that have remained difficult to obtain in Pakistan because their prices had not previously been formally determined. The approval will enable pharmaceutical companies to move ahead with the manufacturing and import of the newly priced products once the government issues the official notification.
The latest decision was taken by a Cabinet Committee established by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to oversee drug pricing matters. The committee is chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb.
With the approval of the latest batch, the government has cleared prices for 87 new essential medicines within the past four months. Earlier in April 2026, prices for 35 medicines were approved and subsequently notified.
Pharmaceutical companies are now waiting for the formal notification covering the newly approved 52 medicines. Industry representatives said that once the notification is issued, manufacturers and importers would still require additional time to complete regulatory and operational arrangements before the medicines become widely available in the market.
Officials from the pharmaceutical sector estimate that the process could take around one to two months following notification, depending on manufacturing, import and supply-chain requirements.
Patients Expected to Benefit
The pricing decision is being viewed as an important step for patients who require expensive or specialized therapies. Pharmaceutical industry representatives have previously raised concerns that delays in price fixation can discourage companies from bringing certain advanced medicines into the local market.
According to industry officials, the absence of approved prices had contributed to limited availability of some specialized treatments. In some cases, patients reportedly had to search for medicines through informal channels, including costly imported or smuggled products.
Former Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association chairman Tauqeer Ul Haq welcomed the government’s decision, saying patients requiring treatment for serious diseases would be among the primary beneficiaries.
He said formal price approval could make advanced medicines more accessible through legal and regulated channels while also creating opportunities for pharmaceutical companies to manufacture and export certain products.
DRAP Recommendations Considered
The Cabinet Committee considered recommendations submitted by the Drug Pricing Committee and the Policy Board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal and Federal Minister for Defence Production Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj also participated in the meeting.
DRAP presented a detailed briefing covering several aspects of the country’s pharmaceutical market, including the fixation of prices for new medicines, hardship cases and the availability of essential drugs.
The committee reviewed the recommendations with a focus on ensuring that medicines remain available to patients while also maintaining a sustainable supply for pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers.
Focus on Affordability and Supply
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb emphasized the need for drug-pricing decisions to remain transparent, evidence-based and consultative.
He stressed that pricing policies should strike a balance between the affordability of medicines for patients and the financial sustainability required to ensure uninterrupted supplies.
The government’s latest move comes as Pakistan continues efforts to strengthen the availability of essential and advanced medicines through the formal pharmaceutical system. The approval of prices for the additional 52 medicines is expected to provide greater clarity to manufacturers and importers and could gradually improve the availability of these treatments in the domestic market.
However, the actual availability of the medicines will depend on the issuance of the official price notification, followed by manufacturing, importation and distribution arrangements.
The latest approvals therefore represent an important regulatory step, but patients may have to wait further before all 52 medicines become readily available across pharmacies and healthcare facilities.
