ISLAMABAD – 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. 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.