Gov’t plans to toughen quality control over medicines

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

The Government of Azerbaijan seeks to toughen the control over quality of medicines imported to the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Ali Ahmadov voiced the necessity of increasing the quality controls by the relevant state structures.

Ahmadov, addressing a Cabinet meeting on issues of import of medicines and strengthening control over their quality, noted that the medicine quality is a vital issue for ensuring the public health as the population itself is unable to check it.

Today, the local market of medicines is heavily dependent on imports, while 57 percent of medicines registered in the country are produced in Europe, 26 percent in the CIS countries, including 12 percent made in Russia. The small proportion is produced in Asian countries.

All medicines imported to Azerbaijan are examined before reaching pharmacies and hospitals. The country bans the import of drugs into the country without a license, permission, or other relevant documents.

The official further informed about the conditions created by the government for activities of enterprises engaged in the manufacture and sale of medicines, and emphasized that they will always be supported.

Ahmadov recalled that the medicine prices are state regulated in the country, which meets the interests of citizens.

The official clarified that prior to the adoption of the relevant decision; the medicines were sold much more expensive than their cost, which had a negative impact on family budgets. The decision also took into account the interests of businessmen.

However, Ahmadov said, there is information that the pharmaceutical market is supplied by low-quality products. “Such abuses should not overshadow the government's decision,” he noted.

To date prices for over 10,000 medicines were approved, which make up 99 percent of the registered medicines in the country. Medicinal products, whose prices have been approved by the Council and entered into force, should be sold at these prices in all pharmacies across the country.

Deputy Health Minister Elsevar Agayev and other speakers also mentioned that medicines of poor quality and those that did not pass the registration are sold at pharmacies of the country.

They emphasized the importance of a serious fight with such negative cases.

Previously, it was announced that a national system for pharmaceutical control would soon appear in Azerbaijan to ensure a quality of medicines.

The Health Ministry said information databases and relevant program on pharmaceutical control will be created in this regard. Henceforth, citizens of Azerbaijan will be able to contact the Center for Analytical Examination of the Ministry in case of side effects of drugs revealed.

In late 2015, the government announced that Azerbaijan will create own enterprises that will manufacture medicines to cease dependence on imports. 

The Russian R-Pharm, Azerbaijan Investment Company and Vita-A LLC (Azerbaijan) signed a deal on the creation of Hayat Pharm Joint Venture on November 2 in Baku, thus founding the country’s first pharmacy plant.

The joint pharmaceutical plant with Iran will also be built in Pirallahi.

Moreover, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey and some European countries seek to take advantage and enter the pharmaceutical sector of Azerbaijan.

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