The cabinet approved a proposal to cancel the 2026 essential-medicines list and the 2026 medicine-pricing methodology.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarek Rahman on 3 August.
The Cabinet Division said the action was taken because the 2026 instruments were prepared without consulting the National Drug Advisory Council.
Such consultation is required before an essential-medicines list is formulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 2023, the Cabinet Division said.
The list and pricing method had been published in January 2026.
Their legal validity was challenged in the High Court, where the matter remains pending.
The National Drug Advisory Council was formed on 29 June under the 2023 law.
The cabinet also approved a proposal to add the director general of the Directorate General of Health Services to that council.
The essential-medicines list established by a 1994 Health and Family Welfare Ministry order, along with its government price-setting arrangement, will remain in force.
The Cabinet Division said the list will be updated and that prices will be set to avoid additional pressure on the public while maintaining market competition.