Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP), Dr Muhammad Aslam on Friday said access to medicines is a right of patient and availability of quality drugs must be ensured for them.
This he said during a stakeholders roundtable on “ Access to medicine & Patient Safety” organised by Justice Helpline in collaboration with FPCCI Standing Committee on Chemist and Druggist at local hotel.
Dr Aslam urged the pharmaceutical companies to adopt productive approach in provision of medicines to patients as access of drugs is a right of them. He said pharmaceutical companies must oust the black-sheep s from their circles to avoid law enforcement agencies raids.
“About 400 billion US dollar counterfeit and spurious drugs business carried out throughout the world every year. Pharmaceutical companies must ensure on self accountability to avoid malpractices. Price fixing of drugs is the responsibility of federal government,” he added.
CEC-Member, Pakistan Chemists & Druggists Association (PCDA) Saif Ur Rehman, said government should understand the issues faced by pharmaceutical companies in manufacturing of drugs in Pakistan. He stressed the need of giving priority in provision of quality drugs to patients.
Central Chairman Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA) Hamid Raza claimed that prices of medicines are low in Pakistan as compared to other countries. He urged the government to control the prices of drugs rather than controlling the whole industry.
Hamid Raza said pharmaceutical companies are serving the people by manufacturing the medicines but there are some issues which should be addressed on priority basis.
