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Govt urged to bring down medicine prices

Recorder Report

Lahore: Pakistan Chemists Retailers Association (PCRA) has said that demand for the increase in the prices of medicines by the multinational pharmaceutical companies was unjustified.

The association, in a press statement, said that during the past two decades, a record increase was witnessed in the prices of medicines. There is no parallel of such a price increase in entire Asia, it added.

PCRA claimed that the prices of medicines in the neighbouring countries were substantially lower than in Pakistan. Giving an example, the association claimed that price of Nebsin injection is Rs 157 here, while it is being sold for Rs 35 in Iran. Flagyl injection is being sold in Pakistan for Rs 60, while in China its price is Rs 25. Similarly, Terywood injection, produced by a multinational company here is being sold at Rs 650 against the local company's price of Rs 90 for the same product.

The Association demanded of the government to bring down the prices of medicines so that they could be accessible to the common man.