Check Pakistan's National Essential Medicine List (NEML 2025) on the DRAP Website
Find Pakistan's National Essential Medicine List on DRAP's site: six editions from 2016 to 2025, which one is current, and how to search it for your medicine.
Pakistan's National Essential Medicine List, or NEML, is published by DRAP as a free PDF, and the 2025 edition is the one DRAP marks as current. You can download it from DRAP's NEML page at dra.gov.pk/publications/national-essential-medicine-lists/ and search it for a medicine's name to see whether it counts as essential.
Why would a patient care? Because a medicine on this list is one the state says should always be available, in the right form and at a price people can afford. When a pharmacy tells you a tablet is "out of stock", the list is a fair first thing to check. We read DRAP's NEML page on 22 October 2026. We did not open the PDFs, so this page explains where the list is and how to use it, not what is in it. It is not medical advice.
The NEML is a national list of medicines the health system should always stock
DRAP calls the NEML a critical document that supports the quality of health services across the country. It describes essential medicines as those that satisfy the primary health care need of the population, available at all times, in adequate amounts and the right dosage form, with assured quality and an affordable price.
The list is based on disease prevalence, evidence on efficacy and safety, and cost-effectiveness. DRAP says it adapts parameters from the World Health Organization's Model List of Essential Medicines. In plain words, it is a shortlist of medicines chosen for what they do for the most people at the lowest cost.
DRAP lists six editions and marks the 2025 edition as current
The page carries six PDFs, all in English. The 2025 edition is marked as current. The page was first posted on 22 July 2022 and last updated on 30 October 2025.
| Edition | File size shown | Note |
|---|---|---|
| NEML 2025 | 47.8 MB | Listed as current |
| NEML 2023 | 47.8 MB | File name refers to SRO 1423 of 2023 |
| NEML 2021 | 10.8 MB | Older edition |
| NEML 2020 | 55 MB | Older edition |
| NEML 2018 | 15 MB | File name says October 2018 |
| NEML 2016 | 39 MB | Oldest on the page |
Two things on the page are untidy. The small icons beside the 2025, 2023 and 2020 entries all point to the 2021 file, so use the Download links instead. And the 2025 and 2023 files show the same size, which may be a coincidence or a listing error. We could not tell which.
Use the current edition and search the PDF for the medicine's generic name
The files are large, so download on a good connection. Search by the generic name, which is the active ingredient, not the brand. The brand is the company's trade name. The generic name is printed on the pack in smaller letters.
- Open DRAP's NEML page and choose the 2025 edition.
- Download the PDF to your phone or computer.
- Use the search function in the PDF viewer.
- Type the generic name from your pack, not the brand.
- Note the form and strength the list gives, such as tablet or injection.
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you cannot find it. Absence does not mean a medicine is unsafe.
Provinces and hospitals use the list to plan what they buy
DRAP says the NEML guides provincial governments on medicine and pharmaceutical policy, including access and availability. It also supports procurement and supply chain policies that use public money sensibly, and works alongside national standard treatment guidelines.
That is the official reason it matters to an ordinary patient. A government hospital that buys by the list should be stocking those items. We have not checked any hospital's stock, so this is what DRAP says the list is for, not a promise about your nearest dispensary.
Pair the list with DRAP's price and shortage tools
Once you know a medicine is essential, check its price on the DRAP PharmaPrice Index, which has an Essential Drugs filter. If a pharmacy cannot supply it, DRAP takes reports through the steps in reporting a medicine shortage to DRAP.
Prices of some essential items have changed this year. Our pages on the 52 life saving medicines price approval and the 2026 medicine price increase explain the decisions we have read. DRAP's toll free line is 0800-03727, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm.
Common questions
What is the NEML in Pakistan?
It is DRAP's published National Essential Medicine List, a national list of medicines meant to be available at all times at an affordable price.
Which edition is current?
The 2025 edition. DRAP's page marks it as current and shows the page was last updated on 30 October 2025.
Is the list free to download?
Yes. The PDFs are on DRAP's website and we did not meet a login or payment.
Does a medicine missing from the list mean it is unsafe?
No. We read nothing on the page saying so. The list is a selection for primary care need, not a safety ruling. Ask your doctor.
Can I buy these medicines at a fixed price?
DRAP keeps a separate price index. Check it for the brand and pack size.
Who do I contact about a missing essential medicine?
Report it to DRAP through its shortage reporting page or on 0800-03727.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 22 October 2026. We read DRAP's National Essential Medicine Lists page, including the edition table, the page dates and the description of the list's purpose, and DRAP's home page for the helpline. We did not open any NEML PDF, so we cannot say which medicines each edition includes or what changed between editions. Check the PDF itself before relying on any entry.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
