Demands Immediate Withdrawal and Restoration of Previous Fee Structure

By Dr Ansab Ali Lahore Pakistan

LAHORE: Chairman of the Pakistan Association of Alternative Medicine (PAAM) Kashif Aslam Malik has strongly rejected the new fee schedule issued by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), describing the steep fee increases as “economic murder” of the alternative medicine and homeopathic sectors.

He demanded the immediate withdrawal of the new fee schedule and restoration of the previous fee structure, alleging that instead of introducing industry-friendly policies, DRAP was placing an excessive financial burden on alternative medicine and homeopathic manufacturers.

Kashif Aslam Malik said registration and inspection fees had been increased substantially, while manufacturers were also facing repeated financial demands under the advertisement approval policy.

Expressing concern over what he termed DRAP’s “double standards,” the PAAM chairman said, “In the name of the advertisement policy, heavy fees are repeatedly collected from the alternative sector, only for cases to be rejected without justification, after which new fees are demanded for re-approval.”

He alleged that the alternative medicine sector was being subjected to discriminatory treatment compared with the allopathic industry.

“This approach by DRAP is not regulation; it is purely a money-grabbing scheme,” he said.

Kashif Aslam Malik further said the imposition of fees of Rs100,000 for social media and digital marketing, along with additional financial burdens imposed under the guise of enlistment, had placed small and medium-sized manufacturers under severe economic pressure.

He urged the government, Ministry of Health and DRAP authorities to immediately cancel the new fee schedule and restore the previous fee structure.

He also called for an end to what he described as repeated fee collection in the name of advertisement approvals, and demanded an end to discriminatory treatment of the alternative medicine sector.

The PAAM chairman called for the formulation of transparent and industry-friendly policies that could support the growth of small and medium-sized manufacturers while ensuring effective regulatory oversight.

He warned that if DRAP failed to reverse what he termed an unjust decision, PAAM, in consultation with stakeholders and relevant organisations, would announce a nationwide protest strategy.