FAS: AFTER FAVIPIRAVIR PRICE REGISTRATION, ITS RETAIL PRICE WILL BE REDUCED AT LEAST TWICE

Registering the price of a medicine for treatment of COVID-19 will significantly increase its availability for the Russian population

The FAS Russia has approved the first two pharmaceutical manufacturers on the maximum selling price for the medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 with the international non-proprietary name (INN) favipiravir [1]. The decision to agree on a price of 100 rubles per pill was made by all members of the Commission of the Ministry of Health of Russia on the formation of lists of medicine in the presence of representatives of pharmaceutical manufacturers.

It should be noted that this is the first case when the maximum selling price for a medicine was set by members of the Commission at the stage of including a medicine in the list of vital and essential medicines (VED) [2]. The economic analysis was based on the prices in countries where favipiravir is in circulation.

“At the time of consideration of manufacturers' applications for the inclusion of favipiravir in the VED list, medicines with this INN were circulating in India and China, including the original medicine Avigan, the price of which is 100 rubles per tablet. This price was discussed as indicative for using in Russia and was supported by all members of the Commission,” Timofey Nizhegorodtsev, Deputy Head of the FAS Russia said.

Thus, after the registration of the maximum selling price for favipiravir, its cost per pack of 50 tablets in the subjects of the Russian Federation will amount to 5,500 rubles, including VAT, excluding regional markups (authorized bodies in the subjects of the Russian Federation independently set the maximum amounts of wholesale and retail markups after approval by the antimonopoly service).

In general, the reduction in the maximum selling price for the medicine was more than 50%, which will increase its availability for the Russian population.

So, if today the retail price for favipiravir in Moscow pharmacies ranges from 11 320 rubles to 16 306 rubles [3], then after registering its maximum selling price, the maximum retail cost of the medicine in the capital, taking into account surcharges, may be 6 875 rubles including VAT (pack of 50 tablets).

It should be reminded that on October 12, 2020, the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 2626-r was signed on expanding the list of vital and essential medicines, which also included favipiravir [4].

For reference:

[1] https://br.fas.gov.ru/ca/upravlenie-kontrolya-zdravoohraneniya/56b803b7-7136-4e69-a367-6ae5c0f2dc88/
https://br.fas.gov.ru/ca/upravlenie-kontrolya-zdravoohraneniya/51510db5-9250-44e8-9c6e-81d0f51e21f4/

[2] In accordance with clause 9.2 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 28, 2014 No. 871

[3] According to the pharmacy base aptekamos.ru on October 14, 2020

[4] Prices for medicines included in the list of vital and essential medicines (VED) are subject to state regulation. In other words, prices for these medicines cannot exceed the maximum selling prices registered by pharmaceutical companies, taking into account the maximum values of established wholesale and retail surcharges and VAT. Control over the application of prices and allowances is carried out by Roszdravnadzor and the Executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.