Minister denies GSK has stopped making, supplying Panadol products

ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel has said that pharmaceutical company GSK is still manufacturing and supplying Panadol products in Pakistan.

Talking to media, the minister denied reports regarding the suspension of manufacturing of Panadol products by the Glaxo Smith Kline Consumer Healthcare Pakistan Ltd (GSK) in Pakistan.

“We want to facilitate the pharmaceutical industry in the country and the pricing issue of medicine concerned is being discussed with the relevant quarters.”

He said that a meeting was held in that regard to discuss various aspects. “The incumbent government will take a decision keeping in view the difficulties of the general public.”

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical company Glaxo Smith Kline Consumer Healthcare Pakistan Ltd also said that GSK had continued to manufacture and supply Panadol products and made it clear that the company had not stopped its production of Panadol products as reported in some sections of the media.

“We have been an integral part of the health sector for many years and contributing to the economic growth and stability of Pakistan with our products and local manufacturing footprint,” the GSK representative said in a company’s press release.

He expressed the hope that the ministry would address their genuine issues including rationalized pricing to ensure delivering better healthcare services to Pakistanis.

An official of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) said that despite challenges, the pharma company had continued the production of Panadol products for patients.