SC gives timeline on medicine price control mechanism
By Khalid Amin

ISLAMABAD—The three-member bench of the Supreme Court here Monday gave three-month time to Ministry of Health to formulate an effective medicine price control mechanism and provide relief to the patient’s community.
The bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar MuhammadChaudhry, Justice Nawaz Khokhar and Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed heard the suo motu notice.
Secretary Ministry of Health Khushnood Lashari appeared before the Apex Court and apprised that they have made a survey throughout the country in this connection.
The survey encompassed about 42,000 brands of various local and multi-national pharmaceutical companies, he added.
He said the survey also revealed a sharp difference of prices among various brands with variance ranging from 25 per cent to 400 per cent while in some brands the difference stands at 1100 per cent.
Justice Nawaz Khokar remarked that quality and standard should be maintained and the local manufacturers should also not be discouraged.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry enquired about the possibility of reduction in the prices to which Secretary Health replied that the prices of various brands could be brought down by 40 per cent.
Khalid Anwar Advocate insisted that ministry should have taken the step ahead of its survey with measures to enforce quality standard.
He said doctors’ community also played an important role as they should also abide by a code of ethics. The bench, while appreciating ministry’s efforts, observed that medical malpractice should also be discouraged. It gave three-month time to bench to furnish cost control mechanism.