Drug Regulatory of Pakistan approves Paracetamol price hike

The price of Paracetamol, the most commonly prescribed medicine for COVID patients, has now been increased, with the Drug Regulatory of Pakistan (DRAP) approving the hike and fixing the rate up to Rs 2.67 per tablet. 

Price has been hiked as the raw materials used for Paracetamol have increased up to 4-5 per cent, said Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association (PPMA) chairman, reported ARY News.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is currently facing the fifth Covid wave and the number of active cases across the country has crossed the 100,000 mark. 

The PPMA chairman, in a statement, said that DRAP showed agreement to fix the price of paracetamol. According to the officials, DRAP will forward a summary to the federal cabinet for increasing the price of paracetamol, reported the news channel. 

Amid the fifth deadly wave of Covid in Pakistan, Paracetamol has disappeared from many of Pakistan's pharmacies and is reportedly being sold in the black market, reported Dawn on Tuesday. A DRAP official attributed the shortage of Paracetamol to the rising number of dengue cases. 

The regulatory on Tuesday issued show-cause notices to 15 pharmaceutical companies for failing to manufacture, Paracetamol, despite having licenses.