Current issue #4, 2017

Investors came across regional ins and outs in awarding special investment contracts

On January 31^st, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry with participation of the special-purpose commission of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE) discussed Geropharm and Pharmimex’s applications for signing a special investment contract (SPIC) for a full-cycle manufacture of blood products, genetic engineering insulins, and similars. It turned out in the course of discussion that the SPIC mechanism, while being of interest for investors on the whole, faltered with regard to regional taxation. In particular, St. Petersburg authorities were not ready to reduce the investor tax rate, which made the Kaluga pharmaceutical cluster’s stand more attractive. According to the RUIE, seven SPICs were awarded in different Russian industries to date, but none of them in pharma.

[PharmVestnik # 04, 07/02/2017, p. 1, cont’d p. 6]

Alcohol drug transfer into Rx category postponed

The market players concerned were eager to know the results of the Ministry of Health (MoH) meeting on alcohol drugs. Back in late 2016, Director of MoH Public Health and Communications Department Oleg Salagai stated that the ministry was to make a decision on the list of alcohol drugs to be dispensed upon prescription until the end of January 2017. However, no decision on that burning issue has been made so far. For a time being, the only tool for fighting the so-called “pharmacy alcohol abuse” will be limitation of the alcohol container volume.

[PharmVestnik # 04, 07/02/2017, p. 2]

MoH to develop an ideal government bidding price

In the end of 2016, the Russian MoH presented a design of a state drug purchasing information analysis system. This system will target two issues, namely purchase description and price. But after proposals on the system implementation mechanism were published, most executive authorities and market players were against such novelties. Major problems were associated with the reference pricing. The mechanism proposed may result in drug shortage.

[PharmVestnik # 04, 07/02/2017, p. 6]

Individual businesses not to “invite themselves along” government drug marking project

On February 1^st, a drug marking pilot project was launched in Russia. Throughout the past year, relevant agencies were drafting the regulatory documentation, and the equipment required was installed on pharma companies’ production lines. There are other business entities as well that are interested in ...