Patients in major cities struggle as drug prices rise due to weak oversight and global supply pressures
LAHORE/KARACHI/PESHAWAR:
Rising drug prices in Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar are pushing patients into deeper crisis, as weak price controls, global supply disruptions and political divides continue to leave essential treatments out of reach.
The situation has worsened amid regional tensions involving the United States and Israel over the war against Iran, which has disrupted global supply chains, increased shipping costs and inflated prices of imported raw materials used in Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector.
In urban centers, drug prices have increased repeatedly since 2023. Prices increased by around 50 percent in 2024 and by 30 to 40 percent more in 2025, while the imposition of an 18 percent general sales tax has increased the burden on consumers.
In Lahore, patients say even basic treatment has become unaffordable despite pharmacies advertising discounts of up to 15 percent. Muhammad Amir, a diabetes patient, said the monthly cost of his medicines has doubled from around Rs 5,000 to almost Rs 10,000. “If prices continue to rise like this, it will be impossible to continue treatment,” he said.
Pharmacist and drug pricing expert Noor Mehr said the deregulation of drug prices has weakened oversight. “After uncontrolled policies, companies set prices themselves, which is why we see frequent increases,” he said, adding that without strict control, patients are left unprotected.
In Karachi, the crisis appears even more volatile, with wholesalers reporting price revisions every 15 to 20 days and, in some cases, multiple increases in a single month. A government employee, Javed, said his blood pressure and cholesterol medications now cost more than 2,000 rupees a month, almost double what they cost two years ago.
Another patient, Ghulam Rasool, who suffers from heart disease and diabetes, said insulin has become expensive and difficult to find. “Skipping doses is dangerous, but I have no choice due to financial constraints,” he said, urging authorities to ensure affordable access to life-saving medicines.
Pakistan Chemists and Drugs Association President Abdul Samad Budhani said price increases of non-essential medicines remain unchecked due to political structures. “When the government delays pricing decisions on essential medicines, importers reduce supply, causing shortages, especially of critical medicines like insulin,” he said.
In Peshawar, similar concerns are emerging as patients and pharmacists report shortages of key medicines along with rising prices, particularly for antibiotics, insulin and pregnancy medications. Health workers say pharmaceutical companies are charging customers arbitrary prices due to poor oversight.
Dr Adnan Rizvi, president of Pakistan Pharmacists Association in Sindh, warned that irrational prescribing and self-medication are worsening the crisis. “Doctors often prescribe unnecessary multivitamins, while patients often purchase over-the-counter medications. If this trend continues, treatment options will become increasingly limited, as no major new antibiotics are expected by 2030,” he added.
Industry stakeholders attribute the price rise to multiple factors, including currency depreciation, rising import costs and dependence on raw materials from India and China, which together supply most pharmaceutical inputs.
Mian Mahmood, owner of a chain of medical stores in Lahore, said global factors are playing an important role. “If geopolitical tensions rise further, supply disruptions could worsen, leading to further shortages and higher prices,” he said, calling for government intervention to stabilize the market.
Meanwhile, public hospitals in all three cities continue to face drug shortages, with patients often receiving only partial prescriptions and forced to purchase the remaining drugs from private pharmacies at significantly higher prices.
Jawad Ameen, Chairman, NAFA Group, highlighted the importance of promoting generic medicines. “More than 80 percent of medicines used worldwide are generics, which are 70 to 90 percent cheaper and equally effective,” he said, noting that affordability improves treatment adherence and health outcomes.
However, despite regulatory assurances that locally produced generics meet international standards, many patients and doctors in Pakistan continue to prefer brand-name drugs, limiting the potential benefits of lower-cost alternatives.
Wholesale traders say prices of several medicines have increased by 50 to 75 percent in the past two years, with some seeing repeated increases in a matter of weeks, while there appears to be no effective monitoring mechanism.
Experts warn that without urgent political action, including stricter price regulation, better supply chain oversight and public awareness campaigns, the crisis will deepen further.
