THE continuous increase in medicine prices has become a matter of grave concern for millions of Pakistanis, particularly those suffering from chronic illnesses and requiring medicines on a regular basis. For the last four years, patients have witnessed repeated increases in the prices of essential medicines.

For a patient suffering from diabetes,hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease or any other chronic condition, medicine is not a luxury that can simply be abandoned when its price goes beyond one`s capacity to buy.

It is a necessity. Patients who take several medicines every day are facing a cumulative increase that runs into thousands of rupees every month. What is alarming is the silence of the regulatory authorities.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) must explain to the public how medicine prices are determined and what safeguards exist against unjustified increases.

The relevant body must immediately conduct a comprehensive review of prices of all medicines, particularly those of essential and life-saving drugs. Pharmaceutical companies seeking substantial increases should be required to provide transparent and verifiable justification.

There should also be a publicly accessible system through which citizens can check the approved price of every medicine and report overcharging. Pharmacies must be monitored rather strictly, and complaints regarding prices should not disappear into bureaucratic files. At the same time, the government should promote quality generic medicines so that patients have affordable alternatives.

This is not simply an economic issue.

It is a public health issue and, ultimately, a question of human dignity. The government must understand that every rupee added to the price of a medicine can force a poor patient to reduce dosage, skip a dose or discontinue treatment altogether.Such practices can turn manageable illnesses into medical emergencies and increase the burden on public hospitals.

Patients are not consumers purchasing some luxury goods; they are citizens fighting for their health and their lives.

MubasherMir Karachi