FAS IS EFFICIENTLY COLLECTING INFORMATION ON PRICES FOR MEDICAL FACE MASKS IN REGIONS

The antimonopoly authority gave several instructions to its regional Offices, Heads of the subjects of the Russian Federation and regional executive bodies regarding a growth of prices for medical face masks

FAS started promptly executing instructions issued by Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, Tatyana Golikova. The Antimonopoly Service requested information from to its regional offices, Roszdravnadzor [the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare], Heads of the subjects of the Russian Federation and regional executive bodies about complaints with regard to shortage or growing prices for medical face masks from 1 December 2019 till present.

The antimonopoly authority also asks to promptly hold meetings at the regional level to consider pricing for medical face masks, involving officials of the subjects of the Russian Federation, wholesalers and pharmacy retailers, representatives of regional Offices of FAS and Roszdravnadzor. Information gathered following these meetings must be submitted to the Antimonopoly Service immediately for further analysis.

Meetings involving all stakeholders should expose the underlying reasons and evaluate the level of a price growth for masks in particular regions.

Also, regional FAS Offices must report to FAS Central Office daily about changes in the prices for medical face masks in the subjects of the Russian Federation. If information about increasing prices for medical face masks or their shortage is obtained, FAS regional Offices must carry out inspections. If an economically unreasonable growth of prices is exposed, measures will be undertaken provided for by the antimonopoly law.

Full information should be submitted to FAS by the end of the working day on 5 February 2020.