Continued shortage of anti-cancer drugs to victimize of dying patients for profits

Lahore:  Shortage of basic anti-cancer drugs in Pakistan for an extended period of time has taken toll on the poor patients which must be tackled urgently by the authorities, the Health Watch demanded on Sunday.

Government has permitted seven different companies for importing Cyclophosmamide and Doxorubaicin but these companies have stopped imports for various reasons which has created an acute shortage of the medicine in country, it said.

The hoarders and smugglers have found situation favourable resulting in availability of medicine of questionable quality at some places in different trade names on unreasonably high rates which is out of the reach of majority of patients, said Mian Aftab, President of the Health Watch.

The role of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) is not laudable in this regard as they have been preferring inaction paving way for artificial shortage transforming cancer patients into cash cow.

Many private and public sector hospitals like IRNEM located in Peshawar, NORI at Islamabad, INMOL Lahore, MINAR Multan, BINO Bahawalpur, KIRAN Karachi, INOR Abbottabad and CENUM Cancer Centre at Mayo hospital Lahore are facing problems due to shortage but nothing has done to improve the situation.

Government’s lethargy has been helping no one except greed-driven businessmen, therefore it should tackle the issue urgently, said Mian Aftab.

The DRAP should allow other companies to start imports to overcome the non-availability as those having licences are not interested in it.

The cruel and greedy the cancer industry cashing on dying patients and extracting their entire life savings before they die deserve no sympathy.

Usage of experimental drugs, useless tests, and therapies with zero success rates must be stopped.