Current issue #38, 2015

Experts call draft federal budget a crime

The draft federal budget for 2016 reviewed by the State Duma in its first reading envisages an 11.4% cut of health expenditures. The lead experts have already stated officially that such trend would drive the industry into crisis. The population mortality rate will be continuously growing. In the analysts’ opinion, it will be possible to save the situation and set the healthcare on a “stabilization” development path only provided that the expenditures are retained at the level of fiscal year 2013 in constant prices. At that the community heavily counts on National Medical Chamber Chairman Leonid Roshal who declared that he was ready to get through to the president and thus disrupt the budget approval as is. Experts believe that this brings hope that the health expenditures will be partly revised.

[PharmVestnik # 38, 24/11/2015, p. 1, cont’d p. 4]

On the “hype”

Non-specialized media hoped for permit to advertize Rx drugs; instead, they may face limitations on OTC drug promotion

Leonid Levin, Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications, admitted that he was permanently approached by media industry representatives requesting for drug advertizing regulation relief. In fact, the media have become dependent on Pharma companies. It is especially evident in crisis when advertisers from other industries are cutting their promotion budgets. On the other hand, there is a misbalance in the Pharma industry, too, as companies spend an appreciable portion of their earnings on advertizing instead of investing more funds in R&D or postmarketing drug studies. There is only one way out, i.e. it is necessary that the choice of drugs be left to doctors.

[PharmVestnik # 38, 24/11/2015, p. 1, cont’d p. 2]

Buyer, turn up please!

Quite recently, it has become clear that the pharmacy...