Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Attorney General Sajid Ilyas Bhatti, through a report compiled by the Drug Regularity Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), has informed the Supreme Court that nine pharmaceutical companies have been permitted to sell Safosbuvir 400mg tablet, a medication used for treatment of hepatitis C.

A two-member bench led by Justice Ejaz Afzal took up the suo moto case involving death of children due to the infectious disease and increasing prices of the hepatitis C medication.

During the course of hearing, Bhatti informed the court that the registration board in its meeting held on December 18 last year granted registration to nine firms namely Sami Pharmaceuticals, Genix Pharmaceuticals, Tabros Pharma, Macter International, Genome Pharmaceuticals, Global Pharmaceuticals, Getz Pharma, Hilton Pharma and CCL Pharmaceuticals. However, the board deferred applications of six pharmaceutical companies such as Searle Company Limited, Everest Pharmaceuticals, Crystallite Pharmaceuticals, Max Pharmaceuticals, Wilsons Pharmaceuticals, Werrick Pharmaceuticals and Scottman Pharmaceuticals.

“As per pricing policy, the price of new generic would be 30 percent lower than the innovator brand, thus as per this formula the generic version of this new molecule would be 26600. This drug is being considered highly important for public health and it has been informed by some manufacturers that its raw material prices have been decreased. Therefore, a high level meeting was held with the NHSR&C minister in the chair where this matter was discussed. It was recommended at the meeting that patients should be given the maximum benefit, as this is a highly important public health matter. The price of generic version of this new molecule should be considered at the minimum within standards of quality,” the report reads.

It is stated that the ongoing issues may be resolved after approval of the competent authority. Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan observed that the state is responsible if a child or anyone dies of a disease. According to the media reports, son-in-law of a federal minister is creating hurdles in the way of registration of affordable hepatitis C medication. The court asked whether these media reports are authentic.