Ukraine Launched Pilot Project Introducing State Regulation of Hypertension Medicines Prices n 2012, Reports PMR

23 May 2013 • by Natalie Aster

Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan have recently taken steps to introduce drug reimbursement schemes similar to those functioning in other countries. If introduced, these could completely change the operating environment on both the generic and innovative drug markets in these countries. At present, the rate of growth of innovative medicines in the CIS countries is lower than that of their generic counterparts. In 2012, there was a 10% increase in the former, to almost €6bn at wholesale prices, and a 16% increase in the latter, to €5.7bn at wholesale prices, according to the report “Generic and innovative drugs market in CIS countries 2013. Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan” by PMR.

Report Details:

Generic and innovative drugs market in CIS countries 2013. Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan
Published: April, 2013
Pages: 168
Price: US$ 2,800.00

Russia to have reimbursement system by 2025

In February 2012, Russia’s Minister of Health approved the “Strategy for supplying the Russian population with medications for the period until 2025”. The document sets priorities for the development of pharmaceutical supplies and the improvement of legal regulations for trade in the sector. The main goal is to increase the availability of high quality, effective and safe medications. The strategy focuses on areas such as increasing the availability of pharmaceuticals, supporting the usage of Russian products or increasing the scope of preventive measures in medicine.

This will be the foundation for the introduction of the drug reimbursement system in the country. At present in Russia drugs are reimbursed for only some groups of the population, e.g. veterans, invalids and children up to 3 years of age. This is to be extended to more categories of citizens.

The implementation of the strategy will be funded from the federal state budget, the budgets of regional and local units and extra-budgetary sources. The extra sources are to be defined by 2016, when the first stage of implementation is completed. There are plans to implement an effective drug supply model during the third stage of the programme, between 2017 and 2025.

The strategy has five main aims:

• the rational use of medicines 
• improving the procedure of forming the lists of medicines, the supply of which is carried out as part of a programme of government guarantees of free medical care to citizens, along with state social assistance in the form of social services 
• ensuring the safety, efficacy and quality of medicines 
• improving state regulation of the prices of medicines the supply of which is carried out as part of a programme of government guarantees of free medical care to citizens, along with state social assistance in the form of social services 
• training of medical and pharmaceutical employees.

Pilot hypertension medicine project in Ukraine

In 2012, Ukraine launched a pilot project which involved the introduction of state regulation of the prices of hypertension medicines, along with partial reimbursement of the cost from the state and local budgets. The government regulates the prices of: enalapril, lisinopril, bisoprolol, metoprolol, nebivolol, amlodipine and nifedipine. According to Health Ministry data, around 12m people suffer from hypertension in Ukraine.

By 1 August 2012, businesses entities (pharmacy chains) had reduced the prices of generics registered in Ukraine. In November 2012 the partial reimbursement of the cost of drugs for patients with hypertension was introduced. The difference between the official reference price set by the Health Ministry and the actual retail price at pharmacies is reimbursed. At the beginning of 2013 it was extended to last until December 2013. UAH 191.6m (€18.7m) was approved by the government from the budget for the reimbursement of the cost of drugs included in the pilot project in 2013. This would provide around 600m DDD of antihypertensive medicines, 66m more than in 2012.

The Ukrainian government is considering the introduction of state regulation of prices of medicines for the treatment of diabetes and other diseases of the endocrine system by imposing a limit on wholesale and retail prices.

Free medicines for ambulatory patients in Kazakhstan

Today, a new reimbursement model is also being created in Kazakhstan. This model stipulates that patients who previously paid 50% of the cost of medicines will obtain them free-of-charge.

In 2012, ambulatory patients began to receive free drugs which had carried a 50% discount beforehand, and the list of free medicines for ambulatory patients was extended by 40%. In 2012 medicines for the treatment of coronary heart disease, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, peptic ulcers, chronic heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia were added.

According to the Health Ministry, the list of free medicines which are sold on prescription, includes more than 400 names of medicines for 48 kinds of disease. Drugs are administered free-of-charge to children under 18, pregnant women and other registered groups. In 2012, the government spent over KTZ 100bn (€0.5bn) on such medicines, including more than KTZ 37bn (€0.2bn) on ambulance drug coverage.

More information can be found in the report “Generic and innovative drugs market in CIS countries 2013. Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan” by PMR.

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