Transparency International Pakistan is urging the federal government to swiftly enforce a generic medicine policy, arguing that rigorous implementation could significantly reduce drug prices and ease the financial strain faced by ordinary citizens. The organization claims that adherence to existing regulations on prescribing and procuring generic drugs could lower healthcare costs by as much as 90 percent, potentially saving billions in public funds.
In a letter to the Federal Minister for National Health Services, Syed Mustafa Kamal, Transparency International highlighted the stark price gap between branded and generic medicines in Pakistan. The organization pointed out that although the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) approves all medicines, both branded and generic, under comprehensive quality and pricing standards, huge disparities persist. For example, a 10mg tablet of Montelukast is available as a generic for just over Rs 3, while branded versions are sold for up to Rs 93. Similarly, a generic 20mg Omeprazole tablet costs around Rs 1.70, compared to Rs 67.85 for its branded equivalent—a difference of more than 3000% and 4000%, respectively.
According to Transparency International, these inflated prices are fueled by a lack of enforcement of existing policies. The watchdog noted that a 2021 DRAP advisory recommended doctors in both public and private sectors prescribe by generic names, yet this guidance has rarely been put into practice, prompting many patients to continue overpaying for name-brand medications.
The organization also criticized a 2020 amendment to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Rules that instituted a Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) procurement model for medicines. Under this system, technical qualifications count for 80 percent of the evaluation score, while price accounts for only 20 percent. Transparency International warns this approach enables healthcare providers to overlook cheaper generics in favor of more expensive branded products, undermining public interests and sabotaging efforts to cut healthcare costs.
Transparency International has called on the health ministry to investigate why generic prescribing guidelines remain unenforced and to issue immediate directives to rectify the situation. The organization has circulated its letter to high-level authorities, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Supreme Court, and PPRA officials, calling for coordinated action to address the escalating cost of medicines.
No official public response has yet been issued by the Ministry of National Health Services regarding these concerns.
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