DRAP strikes back at PDLF, PYPA
Islamabad
The Ministry of Health Services and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) Thursday denied all allegations levelled against them by the Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum (PDLF) and the Pakistan Young Pharmacists Association (PYPA), terming them “factually incorrect, baseless, and totally misleading for some vested interests.”
Addressing a press conference arranged in response to a joint press conference convened an hour earlier by PDFL and PYPA, the CEO of DRAP Aslam Afghani came up with counter-allegations to establish his own innocence. “Mr. Usman, owner of M/s Everest Pharma (PDLF) is involved in manufacturing and sale of unregistered drugs/medicines like tablet Silk, Link, Decore, Ispar, Sancos, MTD, M Plus, Penball etc., and DRAP has taken stern action against him and other such culprits. Whenever actions are initiated by DRAP against these elements, they attempt to pressurise officials of DRAP and ministry, for their vested interests, and resort to maligning officers of DRAP,” he stated.
Aslam Afghani stated that the Drug Pricing Policy 2015 which was approved by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet provides a transparent mechanism for fixation and re-fixation of drug prices. A provision in para 8 of the policy links annual price increase in prices of drugs with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) announced by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. “Under this policy, prices of drugs were kept frozen till June 30, 2016. However, in July 2016, under provisions of the Drug Pricing Policy 2015, annual price increase @ 1.43% (50% of CPI) for scheduled drugs, 2.002% (70% of CPI) for non-scheduled drugs and 2.86% (equal to CPI) for lower priced drugs has been allowed. In addition, as per provisions of the policy, price increase, under hardship category, was allowed up to 8% on 20 drugs and in case of lower priced drug; Folic Acid Tablet price was increased from 30 paisa per tablet to 43.60 paisa per tablet (Rs43.60 per 100 tablets) as per Drug Act 1976 to ensure their availability in the market,” he stated.
The DRAP officials also rejected any role of the Ministry of Health or DRAP in recommending an increase in promotional budget of pharmaceutical companies from 5 per cent to 10 per cent. “The proposal in the budget is for amendment in the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, and is from Revenue/Finance Division, which is under consideration of the Parliament. This blames is therefore malafide and baseless,” they said.
“It is reiterated that there has not been any increase in prices of drugs for companies contesting in the court of law. During the last one year, 30 out of 700 pharmaceutical companies increased prices of 380 out of 70,000 registered drugs without approval of the federal government and DRAP after managing to obtain restraining orders by these firms and their associations by misleading the Sindh High Court. DRAP and the government are vehemently contesting these cases with the assistance of the office of the Attorney General of Pakistan. After completion of arguments from both sides, the single bench of the Sindh High Court, passed the judgment on December 19,-2016. Against these orders, the companies filed intra-court appeals and have again obtained restraining order from the double bench of the Sindh High Court. The government and DRAP are contesting the cases in Sindh High Court with the assistance of the office of attorney general of Pakistan to get stay orders vacated,” the media was told.
Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/208081-DRAP-strikes-back-at-PDLF-PYPA