FAS REPRESENTATIVES ANSWERED QUESTIONS FROM STATE PHARMACIES DURING ROUND TABLE AT STATE DUMA

They focused on wholesale ex-works pricing for narcotic and psychotropic agents

Nadezhda Sharavskaya, Deputy Head of FAS Department for Control over Social Sphere and Trade took part in the Round Table “Operations of Pharmaceutical Companies with State Participation in Socially-Important Measures: Problems of Legislative Regulation” at the State Duma. The event was attended by Heads and representatives of state pharmacies, Healthcare Ministries of regions of Russia, the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation and Roszdravnadzor [the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare].

Answering the question on ex-works pricing for narcotic and psychotropic agents included in the list of vital and essential drugs by wholesalers that have retail units, Nadezhda Sharavskaya explained that the current law does not include retail mark-ups in the prices for narcotic and psychotropic agents supplied to medical facilities. At the same time, wholesale mark-ups for sale of such drugs are set only in 59 regions of Russia, retail - in 62. In other regions, averaged mark-ups are set that do not allow wholesale pharmaceutical companies to compensate higher costs for sale of narcotic and psychotropic agents. The speaker informed that in this context FAS had issued explanations that mention possible adjustment of the ceiling wholesale mark-ups.

Deputy Head of FAS Department for Control over Social Sphere and Trade outlined the FAS position: “Regions analyze and review ceiling wholesale mark-ups annual on the basis of estimates submitted by wholesalers and retailers to local executive bodies. In view of the specifics of sale of narcotic and psychotropic agents, wholesalers can include in such analysis their costs related to sale of such medicines to medical establishments that do not have pharmacies in their structure”.