ISLAMABAD: A sub‑committee of the federal cabinet, chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has approved the prices of 52 newly registered life‑saving medicines, including treatments for cancer, diabetes, hemophilia and Parkinson’s disease.
Officials said the committee’s decision covers advanced therapies such as the cancer immunotherapy drug Trudeau, widely used against more than 20 types of cancer globally, along with nivolumab, dasatinib, meropenem and insulin.
The final approval will rest with the federal cabinet, after which the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) will issue an official notification enabling legal sale of these medicines in the country.
The Ministry of Health emphasized the urgency of price approval, noting that patients had been forced to rely on unregistered, smuggled and costly imported drugs. Finance Minister Aurangzeb underscored transparency and public interest in the pricing process, while Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, the Health Secretary and DRAP officials also attended the meeting.
According to officials, the move is expected to improve the availability of quality medicines and reduce dependence on illegal supplies, offering relief to patients struggling with critical conditions.
