Current issue #30, 2015

Insurers’ role in healthcare became the focus of discussion

The issue of insurance companies’ role in healthcare was among those discussed at the recent All-Russia People’s Front forum in the President’s of Russia presence. President Putin agreed to listen to specific initiatives that got a chance to be implemented. Each party participating in the discussion had its own version of how to give to insurance companies a full load of work. Contrary to many views, healthcare economics experts insisted that the insurance component, being, in their opinion, “a destructive factor”, be withdrawn from at least the Compulsory Medical Insurance system. 

[PharmVestnik # 30, 29/09/2015, p. 1, cont’d p. 3]

Retreating? No way!

Three months left until launching common drug market

Creating a common drug and medical device market in the EEU member-countries’ territory is becoming number one topic for the pharmaceutical community. As of today, only two regulatory documents were approved, the rest being at the review and appraisal stages. The developers are sure that they will be able to prepare all the documents required on time. However, very little time is left until the official common market launch date – January 1, 2016. It is rumored in the pharmaceutical professional circles that the regulators who will shortly have to start harmonizing the national drug and medical device circulation legislations proposed to postpone the approval of the second-level documents. Experts believe that this will be a direct violation of the international agreement. 

[PharmVestnik # 30, 29/09/2015, p. 1, cont’d p. 2]

Methods for calculating VED maximum sales prices revised

Premier Dmitry Medvedev signed a resolution approving the revised methods for calculating maximum sales prices for vital and essential drugs (VED). The revised document resolved the existing technical problems, specified a number of regulatory provisions that allowed for ambiguous interpretation, and de jure provided price indexation opportunities for foreign drug manufacturers. However, in fact, the revised methods very insignificantly differ from those previously applicable, probably because the new regulation will be in force for a very short period of time. 

[PharmVestnik # 30, 29/09/2015, p. 4...