Health Ministry: “artificial increase” of medicine prices “unacceptable”
It further explained the Government would set “fair” reference prices on medicines to prohibit their sale with increased prices. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The Georgian Health Ministry on Tuesday said large pharmacy companies “artificially” increasing prices on medicines not yet covered by reference price policy was “unacceptable”.
The Ministry said the medicines were being sold with 3,000-, 2,000- and 1,000-percent price increases - 32 times more expensive compared to their import prices - and noted the drugs were had “almost the same price” in large pharmacy chains.
It added the “facts of excessive pricing and price collusion” raised “reasonable suspicions” there had been an “unfair agreement” between the companies and “improper use of dominant [market] positions”.
The body said the sector was “harming citizens” with the “unfair prices and unhealthy competition”, and added it would submit “all the necessary documents” to the National Competition Agency to study the issue.
It further explained the Government would set “fair” reference prices on medicines to prohibit their sale with increased prices.
The number of medicines sold through the system of reference pricing across Georgia has been increased to 2,300, the Government Administration announced on Thursday. The list now included antihypertensive, anticoagulant, antihistaminic, antibiotic, gastrointestinal, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs.
The Georgian Health Ministry on Friday said the prices of Turkish-imported medicines would not increase, adding Georgian companies would still be able to purchase them at lower prices on the Turkish pharmaceutical market and import them to Georgia, on the backdrop of increased prices in Turkey.
Patients in Georgia spending money on medication for chronic illnesses will have up to 90 percent of their expenses reimbursed in a state programme by 2026, Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili said on Monday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said the reference price mechanism, set to be introduced in a Government initiative across Georgia next month, would reduce the cost of medical drugs by an average of 40 percent.
Georgian health minister Zurab Azarashvili on Monday said financing of medications against chronic illnesses would be increased by ₾30 million ($10.68mln) in the 2023 state budget.
Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili on Thursday said reference prices on medical drugs would be applied to additional 2,000 medicines in Georgia, starting next year.
The Georgian National Competition Agency on Friday announced it had fined four pharmaceutical companies ₾53 million ($19 mln) for price-fixing on oncology medicines funded within the state programme.