FAS drafted proposals on reducing prices for barrier contraceptives

Prices for condoms can be reduced through eliminating the current administrative and economic entry barriers on the relevant market

To execute Clause 20 of the Action Plan for implementing the State Strategy to counter HIV-infection in Russia till 2020 and further, approved by No.754-r Order of the Government of the Russian Federation of 20.04.2017. FAS studied the market of medical products used as barrier contraceptives and forwarded its proposals to the Government on reducing the prices.

To expand the range of condoms in pharmacy and retail chains and decrease prices and increase availability of barrier contraceptives, FAS suggests the following measures for non-discriminatory access of condom supplies to the market:

- Possibility of fast-track condom registration

- Fixed maximum fee for testing (expert examination) in state registration of barrier contraceptives

- Consider restricting the total remuneration tan economic entity involved in pharmaceutical and / or trading activity at 5% of the price of the purchased goods

- Consider amendments to the rules on proper pharmacy practice in the part of introducing requirements to pharmacies on the first offer of the cheapest condoms to buyers and on informing buyers on cheaper analogues of condoms they buy

- Possibility of having vending machines with low-price condoms

- Devise a set of measures aimed at continuous public awareness campaign for using condoms as the most reliable means for preventing sexually-transmitted infections, particularly, widely disseminating social advertisements, including mandatory sections in the educational programmes for secondary and higher education, using  special mechanisms in TV and cinema industries.

Head of FAS Department for Control over Social Sphere and Trade, Timophey Nizhegorodtsev concluded: “Measures proposed by FAS are designed to reduce administrative and economic barriers for entry to the relevant market. It will decrease the costs of barrier contraceptives through developing competition in this segment”.