LA HORE: Over 200 pharmacists from academia, hospitals, health department and pharma industry held a demonstration outside the press club on Friday in protest against the fresh hike in drug prices by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).

A large number of female pharmacists were also among the protesters who had gathered under the banner of the Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum and Pakistan Young Pharmacists Association.

They raised slogans against the federal government and DRAP for, what they termed, the anti-poorstep. They appealed to the chief justice, prime minister, president and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to take notice of the new wave of increase in the drug prices, saying it would affect the poor patients and bring about a `disastrous impact` on the economy.

`It is a matter of grave concern that DRAP is continuously increasing prices of the drugs,making them inaccessible to the poor,` Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum president Dr Noor Muhammad Mahar said while addressing the protesters.

He deplored that no one in the federal government was taking notice of the frequent increase in the drug prices and alleged that DRAP was accommodating thepharmaceutical companies of choice as the recent price was allowed to a certain number of firms.

Dr Mahar said the list obtained from DRAP about the new price of the essential as well as commonly used drugs had raised eyebrows among the stakeholders.

`It is matter of prime importance and the chief justice should take suo motu notice of this critical issue in the best interest of the poor. Any delay in this regard may leave devastating impacts on the ailing humanity,` Mr Mahar added.

Dr Hina Shaukat, joint secretary of Pakistan Young Pharmacists Association, said the drug price increase would particularly affectthose patients who were facing cardiac, tuberculosis (TB) and chestrelated issues.

She alleged that DRAP had not observed the protocols before announcing increase in the drug prices. She said many medicines were already beyond the reach of the poor and the fresh increase would flourish black market trend to further aggravate the situation.

Ms Hina warned the government that if it did not take action the association would expand the scope of protest in the coming days.

The pharmacists continued agitation for an hour and dispersed peacefully, giving a deadline of one weak to withdraw the price increase.