Pakistan, May 15 -- Pakistan has recorded a significant rise in medicine prices after deregulation policies allowed pharmaceutical companies to independently set rates for non-essential drugs. A new survey conducted by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan shows that overall medicine costs have increased sharply over the past two years, raising concerns about healthcare affordability and patient access.

According to the survey findings, medicine prices increased by 55 percent following the removal of government price controls on non-essential drugs. Officials explained that the policy change was introduced during the caretaker government as part of broader economic reforms aimed at increasing market efficiency and encouraging competi...