ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has recently warned pharmacies, medical stores, and wholesale distributors to avoid stockpiling drugs, particularly paracetamol and other fever and pain-relieving medications, at this critical time.
Asim Rauf, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), DRAP, said that any attempt at drug hoarding is a punishable offence, and perpetrators would face legal action.
He stated that the availability of paracetamol was currently under pressure due to higher-than-usual demand and international disruption of the medicine's active ingredient supply.
Despite a 13 per cent increase in production by the leading manufacturer, availability is lower than usual.
It is expected that raw material availability will improve in the coming weeks. The DRAP also asked the consumers to avoid overstocking medicines at their homes.
According to drug dealers and medical store owners, the shortage was caused by drug manufacturers to raise the prices of fever/pain relief related drugs, and the government will approve the price increase within the next few days.
