LAHORE: The Young Pharmacists Association Pakistan (YPAP) launched on Wednesday a campaign from Lahore against the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP) and its chief executive of ficer holding them responsible for the recent increase in prices made by multinational pharmaceutical companies.

YPAP office-bearers including General Secretary Dr Haroon Yousuf, Vice President Dr Mohammad Ahmad, Joint Secretary Dr Hina Shaulcat and Patients Rights Forum Pakistan President Dr Noor Mohammad Mehar formally made an announcement to the effect atthe Lahore Press Club.

Talking to media, they claimed that a club of 50 companies increased the prices by 15 per cent to 300pc and they could not do so without the back channel support of the DRAP officials.

Sharing some documents with the media asevidence, the YPAP office-bearers said one of the major factors behind the increase was the appointment of a partner of a pharmaceutical company as the DRAP CEO.

`Initially the price of the medicines was increased by six companies by getting a stay order from Sindh High Court and later the number reached to 50 firms,` Dr Noor Mehar said.

He claimed that the government institutions, including the health department, were hiding facts knowingly as the price of medicines had beenincreased by 300pc.

`We, being pharmacists are custodians of the medicines, and know well the actual increase in the price of drugs,` Dr Noor said.

He alleged that the companies made increase in connivance with the DRAP and later got a stay order.

`We have obtained documentary proof that DRAP CEO Dr Aslam Afghani is still partner of one of those six companies which increased prices,` Dr Noor Mehar said adding that he had also worked for that firm which had beenheld responsible for providing substandard medicines to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore.

In the PIC drugs reaction scam, nearly 150 patients had died some years back.

`Mr Afghani`s appointment as CEO of DRAP is illegal under section 18 of DRAP Act 2012,` he claimed.

He said the DRAP Act had categorically barred appointment of a pharmaceutical company`s official or partner in the top management of the authority.

Dr Hina Shaukat and Dr Haroon Yousuf alleged that a conspiracy had been hatched to make windfall profits by increasing prices in `one go`.

Dr Hina alleged that a loophole was knowingly created by the DRAP officials for some companies of choice to increase prices without government intervention.

She said prices were increased by the firms in the name of `hardship cases` and after making raise the companies got a stay order from the court. Dr Hina alleged that the DRAPdidn`t pursue the case properly in the court.

`Now an artificial shortage of a number of life-saving medicines has started hunting the patients who are already bewildered by the price increase,` Dr Haroon said.

He also criticised the DRAP officials saying that the export of medicines decreased by 29pc due to the `faulty` policies of the authority.

He claimed that the federal government recently made a hefty decrease in the price of hepatitis C drugs from Rs33,000 to Rs5,800 per pack (onemonth dose) when the PYPA raised the issue.

`It is a matter of grave concern that now a few companies have moved to the court to challenge this decision and if the DRAP doesn`t pursue the case, patients will have to suffer a lot,` Dr Haroon said.

He said the pharmacists association would not leave the patients at the mercy of the DRAP and companies.

`We have launched a campaign from Lahore to fight for the rights of the patients and willextend it to countrywide if the prices aren`t decreased to the actual position,` the PYPA generalsecretary announced.

The DRAP CEO denied the allegations, saying he was an employee at the company and not a `partner.

He said he was working as plant operations director and after assuming charge at DRAP, he had tendered resignation from the firm.

Dr Aslam Afghani said the pharmaceutical identified by the YPAP office-bearers was a `public limited firm` and he had never been among its owners and directors.

He said the authority was activity pursuing the case of price increase and taking initiatives to provide relief to patients in getting access to low-priced quality medicines.

`We have already decreased price of the hepatitis C drug in the best interest of the patients and this step is enough to give an impression that the DRAP is working for the betterment of the poor,` Dr Aslam said.