LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) possesses the lawful authority under the Punjab Healthcare Commission Act, 2010, to regulate and control prices of healthcare services, including those offered by diagnostic laboratories.
The judgment was issued in response to a petition challenging the PHC’s authority to fix prices under the PHC Regulations (Pricing of Healthcare Services), 2023. The petitioners — Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust and another party — contended that the regulations exceeded the Commission’s legal mandate, arguing that PHC could only require institutions to display price lists and act on complaints of overcharging, not impose price ceilings.
However, Justice Raheel Kamran dismissed the petition, affirming that Section 40(2)(m) of the Act clearly empowers the PHC to “formulate regulations regarding control of prices of healthcare services and pricing mechanisms.” He further observed that diagnostic services fall within the definition of “healthcare services” and that diagnostic centres and laboratories are covered under the Act’s scope.
The court also noted that Clause (4) of Chapter I of the 2023 regulations explicitly applies to all healthcare establishments — public or private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres — thereby validating the PHC’s jurisdiction to regulate pricing across the sector.
