Patients Proposed to Pharmaceutical Companies Three Options to Save Lives of Ukrainians

Patients Proposed to Pharmaceutical Companies Three Options to Save Lives of Ukrainians

The Charity Foundation Patients of Ukraine together with the Ministry of Health Care of Ukraine proposed to 34 largest pharmaceutical companies operating in the Ukrainian maket three options of addressing the problem of the state budget deficit in the sphere of state procurement.

In keeping with the arrangement discussed at the round table the following options were proposed: to sell medicines to the state for the 2013 prices as it was allocated in the state budget for procurement of the medicines; to provide subsidies to the medicines running short by procuring them for prices higher than in the previous year; or to provide humanitarian aid with medicines.

«As an official occupying the position of the Minister of Health I claim that any corruption scheme will never be applied again, Oleh Musiy, Health Minister said to the companies at the round table, — Before, 30-40% of the price accounted for illicit payoff, which resulted in increase of distribution prices. Therefore, the companies may reduce the prices down by 40-50% to maintain the prices of the last year without losses for their business. My team will provide absolute transparency of the state procurement by the Health Ministry, and I assume personal responsibility for conducting procurement without corruption. In this case the money instead of going to the pockets of officials will help to save lives of hundred thousands of Ukrainians».

During the round table «Treatment in Ukraine — overcoming the crisis» 67 patients’ organizations, the Minister of Health, the Advisor of the Vice Prime Minister on humanitarian issues Ivan Soroka and a part of the manufactures signed a symbolic agreement specifying that state procurement prices for the medicines will be maintained at the previous year level. The largest manufacturers of the brand medicines that did not sign the agreement have one weak to discuss the issue and to make a decision on accessing the agreement on savinf lives.

«Not once the pharmaceutical companies provided donations to Ukraine with medicines meeting the needs of the Ukrainian patients, said Dmytro Sherembei, Chairman of the Charity Foundation „Patients of Ukraine (UCAB)“, „Since this year is a year of deep crises we are confident that manufacturers of the brand pharmaceutical medicines will adhere to their social position, which they demostrated towards our state before and will help provide medicines to serious patients al least at the prices of the previous year level“.

In addition, it was said at the round table that the government of Ukraine is ready to make concessions to the manufacturere by not making them repack the medicines into the Ukrainian wraps, when it goes about procurement of the medicines for hospital programs, which will also influence the net cost of these medicines. Specifically, the Ministry of Health Care made a point that it is ready to ask for subsidies and provide all required documents to those manufactureres, who agree to cooperate and provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

As a result of the Round Table the proposal of the patients on the readiness to solve the problem was signed by the Minister of Health of Ukraine, Counselor on behalf of the Vice-Prime Minister of Ukraine and a number of pharmaceutical companies: «Biopharma», «Aurobindo Pharma Limited»,  «Lupin Limited» Ltd. «Abryl» Ltd., «Farmak», «Yuriya Pharm», «Delta Medical», Dr. Reddy ’s Laboratories Ltd., M. Biotech Limited. These are the companies, organizations and state officials that are commited to meet the promisses discussed at the round table.

Other representatiives of the pharmaceutical companies will think over the proposal by 7 May to make a decisoon if they are ready to assist the Ukrainian patients in the discussed format.

The Ministry of Health Care will launch the tender process for procuement of the medicines already in May.

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