Karachi: The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA) has said that essential and life-saving medicines continue to be available in the country, rejecting the impression of a large-scale shortage and assuring that the industry is committed to uninterrupted patient care.
In a statement issued to the media, PPMA Chairman Tauqeer Ul Haq said the overall supply chain of medicines is stable following government measures on price fixation of essential drugs and deregulation of non-essential categories. “These steps immediately improved the supply of affected medicines and helped maintain continuity for patients,” he noted.
He added that while some multinational companies had exited Pakistan due to commercial reasons, local manufacturers, working under international quality standards, were already ensuring reliable alternatives. “Patients are not without options — Pakistani manufacturers are producing therapies that are both accessible and effective,” he said.
Highlighting specific categories, the PPMA Chairman said that medicines such as insulin, heparin, and cardiometabolic brands are available in the market, while critical therapies like anti-cancer drugs and temperature-sensitive products are being supplied through hospitals and licensed pharmacies.
On the list of 80 medicines reportedly unavailable, PPMA clarified that only a handful — including Chloro-butanol and Emedastine Difumarate — are currently missing from shelves, while alternatives are present. Some drugs, such as Sodium Amidotrizoate, may have intermittent availability, but substitutes exist. For insulin, he added, only one specific brand is absent while several others remain widely accessible.
Acknowledging that vaccines are an area needing long-term focus, the association said it was working with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and other stakeholders to build domestic capacity. “This is a global challenge, not unique to Pakistan, but steps are being taken to strengthen future supply,” Tauqeer Ul Haq remarked.
He stressed that claims of widespread scarcity do not reflect the measures taken by both regulators and local manufacturers. “Medicines are available and the industry is fully committed to ensuring uninterrupted access to patients nationwide,” he said.
Edns