Karachi

Pakistan is witnessing a growing shortage of several essential medicines, leaving patients struggling to access critical treatments, including advanced cancer drugs, vaccines and other life-saving therapies.

Healthcare experts, pharmaceutical traders and industry insiders say the scarcity is affecting multiple regions of the country and raising serious concerns about patient care.

According to a report by Dawn, the shortage has been observed across pharmacies and medical facilities where many crucial medicines are either unavailable or in extremely limited supply.

Industry representatives said the problem is not linked to regional instability or disruptions in global supply chains.

Instead, they attribute the situation largely to policy delays within the country’s regulatory framework.

Pharmaceutical sources noted that most medicines and raw materials imported into Pakistan originate from China, which continues to remain commercially active and capable of supplying pharmaceutical products.

However, the main challenge lies in the government’s failure to officially notify prices for several newly approved medicines.

Without formal price fixation, pharmaceutical companies and importers are reluctant to bring these products into the country due to the risk of regulatory scrutiny.

Suppliers fear that distributing medicines without officially approved prices could expose them to legal complications.

Doctors say the shortage has particularly affected access to modern treatments for diseases such as Leukaemia, depriving patients of advanced therapies widely used in other parts of the world.

Apart from oncology drugs, several other important medicines are also becoming scarce, the report said.

Vaccines for illnesses such as Typhoid, Polio and Pneumococcal Disease are reportedly affected.

Treatments for Rabies exposure, Haemophilia and Malaria have also been impacted by the shortage.

Industry officials said that delays in notifying medicine prices, despite recommendations submitted by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, have stalled the legal introduction of several medicines into the market.

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Experts have warned that prolonged shortages could encourage the circulation of smuggled, counterfeit or unregulated medicines, posing serious risks to patients and highlighting persistent weaknesses in the country’s healthcare governance.