Current issue #2, 2018

Court action against Dmitry Dain terminated

One more conflict in the Russian pharma business has come to an end. The story of the logistics operator Pharmat (Terminal-Vostok Group), and its ex-owner Dmitry Dain began in 2012 and ended in late December 2017. This period was quite eventful with Mr. Dain’s removal from control of the company, bankruptcy, criminal action, court proceedings, temporary detention center, and release. Mr. Dain is happy because justice has been met, and the judiciary and law enforcement systems have proven capable of admitting and eliminating their mistakes. The entrepreneur has decided to come back to business to pursue a digital health project. Importantly, this is not the first case of a top manager coming back to business after court action.

[PharmVestnik # 02, 23/01/2018, p. 1, cont’d p. 4]

// Regulatory & Legal

Drug manufacturers do not object to new pricing procedure approval taking a long time

Certain pharma industry spokespersons refer to the new draft VED pricing procedure as a “shock therapy”. This document detonated controversies in 2017 and is likely to remain a focus of heated discussion this year. As a reminder, the new drug price registration procedure was to be approved in the autumn of 2017; however, the deadline has been extended as there is still no consent among the market players.

[PharmVestnik # 02, 23/01/2018, p. 6]

// Regulatory & Legal

VED price cutting has “peaked”

With the updated VED pricing procedure pending approval, the issue of the low-end (under 50 RUB) drug prices is not to be overlooked. Manufacturers repeatedly try to draw attention to unprofitability of manufacturing low-end pharmaceuticals. Meanwhile, regulators maintain that the cheap drug depletion issue has been over-estimated.

[PharmVestnik # 02, 23/01/2018, p. 6]

// Health IT

Digital technologies to boost R&D efficacy

While healthcare providers are apprehensive about IT penetration, pharmaceutical manufacturers prioritize digital technologies. According to Big Pharma research, digital tools may help cut drug development costs. The big ...