Nearly 40 newly registered life-saving medicines remain inaccessible to patients in Pakistan, not because of safety concerns or manufacturing failures, but because the federal government has yet to approve their prices. The delay, which has persisted for months, forces thousands of patients with cancer, diabetes, haemophilia, Parkinson’s disease, and other serious conditions to turn to expensive smuggled or unregistered alternatives, according to officials and market sources. Main Developments The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) has registered these medicines after completing the required regulatory process, but they cannot be legally marketed until the federal government notifies their maximum retail prices. Recommendations for fixing prices were finalized by the Drug Pricing Committee between December 2024 and June 2025, endorsed by the Drap Policy Board, and forwarded to the federal government for final approval, which is still pending. The stalled list includes advanced cancer immunotherapies such as Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) and Nivolumab, Humador insulin for diabetes, Adalimumab for autoimmune diseases, recombinant Factor VIII for haemophilia A, Carbidopa-Levodopa for Parkinson’s disease, Dabigatran and Heparin for blood clot prevention, Methyldopa for hypertension during pregnancy, Meropenem and Fosfomycin for severe bacterial infections, and Ketamine for anaesthesia and emergency care. Vaccines, radiology contrast agents, electrolyte solutions, and other intensive care medicines are also affected. Read also: Why Fazlur Rehman refuses to back down on security remarks Background According to the Ministry of National Health Services, prices for an earlier batch of 35 newly registered medicines have already been approved by the federal government. The remaining 40 are now awaiting approval from the Cabinet Committee and the federal cabinet. The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has urged expedited action, noting that pharmaceutical companies cannot legally market newly registered medicines until official retail prices are notified. Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association Chairman Abdul Samad Buddani highlighted that when patients cannot find these medicines through licensed pharmacies, they turn to smuggled or unregulated products, exposing themselves to medicines whose quality, storage conditions, and authenticity cannot be verified. The association warned that this puts both treatment and lives at risk. Why It Matters The prolonged delay deprives patients of timely access to innovative therapies that are routinely available in many other countries, according to the PPMA. Patients whose doctors prescribe these medicines often have no option but to obtain them through informal channels, risking counterfeit or improperly stored products. Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal acknowledged the difficulties, stating that the government wants to make quality-assured medicines available through legal means as soon as possible. What's Next Kamal said the Ministry of National Health Services and Drap are now pursuing approval of the remaining 40 medicines before the Cabinet Committee and the federal cabinet. The government has already approved prices for an earlier batch of 35 newly registered medicines, and similar approval is expected for the pending list. No specific timeline has been announced, but officials indicated they are working to secure approval as quickly as possible.