When Tymoshenko uses price of Nimesil as an example, she demonstrates her incompetence or bias - expert
Prices for medicines in Ukraine and Poland cannot be compared, as some drugs are included in the list of medicines whose price is compensated by the state.
This was stated by the President of the All-Ukrainian Council of Patients' Rights and Safety Viktor Serdiuk, Censor.NET reports.
In particular, he noted that in Poland the price of Nimesil is actually lower than in Ukraine, but for one simple reason. "Nimesil in Poland is included in the list of medicines whose price is compensated by the state. This instrument of state policy to reduce the cost of medicines is called reimbursement (cost compensation). Therefore, the demonstration of "low cost" in the example of Nimesil is false, and Yuliia Tymoshenko, who uses it, demonstrates her incompetence or bias," Serdiuk said.
The expert cites a study conducted by the weekly Apteka. According to this study, if we remove the drugs for which reimbursement is applied, it turns out that the prices for medicines in Ukraine are lower than in European countries in 85% of cases. At the same time, the weighted average price of one pack of a drug in Ukraine is 30% lower than in European countries. However, he recognizes that the issue of drug prices needs to be addressed. This issue has not only a market or economic dimension but also a significant social dimension.
Viktor Serdiuk also supported the joint decision of the Ministry of Health and the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Health, Medical Assistance and Medical Insurance to postpone consideration of amendments to the draft law 11493 due to the very emotional discussion of these amendments in the media and social networks. He emphasized that such a position is quite balanced and the only correct one, because haste and excessive emotions always negatively affect the quality of the final result. Moreover, they are unacceptable when it comes to risks to the health and lives of millions of Ukrainians.
According to the expert, the main way to reduce the cost of medicines in Ukraine is to bring the regulation of our pharmaceutical market in line with European standards. And also through the wider use of the reimbursement mechanism, when the state fully or partially compensates for the price of medicines.
