Approval Delay Keeps 40 Newly Registered Medicines Off Pakistan’s Market

ISLAMABAD:Forty newly registered medicines have yet to become available in Pakistan after awaiting final price approval from the federal government, delaying their legal sale in the country.

The affected medicines include treatments for **cancer, diabetes, hemophilia, Parkinson’s disease, heart conditions, and severe infections**. Due to their unavailability, many patients are reportedly relying on unregistered, privately imported, or smuggled medicines.

The Ministry of National Health Services said the issue is **not related to increasing the prices of existing medicines**, but rather to setting prices for newly registered products before they can be marketed.

According to the ministry, price approvals have already been granted for **35 newly registered medicines**, while approval for another **40 medicines** is still pending with the federal government.

The **Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP)** said it has submitted its pricing recommendations for the remaining medicines to the government. The authority noted that the medicines can only be legally sold after their prices receive final approval.

Meanwhile, representatives of the pharmaceutical industry and chemists’ associations have urged the federal government to expedite the approval process, arguing that delays are affecting patient access to essential medicines across the country.