Sixty Essential Medicines Vanish from Markets in Pakistan

World Health Organization (WHO) has a standardized list of 350 essential medicines that Pakistan is obliged to sell in its markets. However, recently over 60 essential medicines are unavailable in the market, reported Dawn.

As per a report, the medicines are in short supply either due to pricing issues, delay in the approval of raw materials procurement by the government or international alerts against the ban of medicine.

However, more alarmingly, a number of medicines aren’t available due to discontinued manufacturing on the back of non-viable pricing by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap). Pharmaceuticals claim that the production of some medicines has become unfeasible under the current circumstances.

On the other hand, Drap told Dawn that a Committee on Availability of Essential and Short Medicines has been formed and industry stakeholders like Pharma Bureau and the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) are included in it.

The essential drugs list issued by WHO in 1994 initially has been revised number of times and currently holds 350 medicines. The medication of cervical cancer, prevention of seizures, and numerous other cardiac, psychiatric and life-saving drugs are included in the list.