Pakistan faces shortage of 100 life-saving medicines like cancer drugs, morphine

Pakistan is facing a severe shortage of more than 100 essential medicines, including life-saving drugs used to treat cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses, after delays in approving revised medicine prices disrupted production, according to a report by Dawn.The report said the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) recommended revised prices for 105 medicines under the hardship category more than two years ago after concluding that rising production costs had made their manufacture commercially unviable. However, the proposals remain pending before the federal cabinet, leading to reduced production and widespread shortages.According to Dawn, DRAP found that higher prices of imported raw materials, electricity, fuel, packaging, transportation, labour, financing costs and the depreciation of the Pakistani rupee had sharply increased manufacturing expenses.