A delegation of Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association
(PPMA) headed by its Chairman, Dr. Sheikh Kaiser Waheed, called on Prime
Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at Prime Minister’s Office today.
The Minister for
Health Services, Mrs. Saira Afzal Tarar, and office bearers of PPMA were also
present during the meeting.
The delegation
briefed the Prime Minister about the performance and the issues concerning the
pharmaceutical sector.
Discussing drugs
pricing policy, the Prime Minister emphasized that there was a need to put in
place a mechanism that improved affordability of drugs for the poor and
simultaneously kept the pharmaceutical sector commercially viable.
The Prime Minister
was assured that a robust orphan and essential drugs pricing policies would
shortly be forthcoming to protect public interest.
The Prime Minister
highlighted the importance of quality, standards, productivity and innovation
in promoting the pharmaceutical sector, and instructed the Drug Regulatory
Authority to make effective policies in this regard.
Export potential of
the pharmaceutical sector and various issues faced by the manufacturers were
also discussed. The Prime Minister was assured that the sector would be a major
contributor toward Pakistani exports.
The Prime Minister
directed the Ministry of National Health Services to consider a proposal of the
pharmaceutical manufacturers association to establish a Pharmaceutical Export
Promotion Council to facilitate exports and securing international recognition
for Pakistani pharmaceutical products.