Zharko: Pharmacist must promote Belarusian medicines to patients

Commenting at the press-conference on the official order for the Belarusian doctors to prescribe the local medications, Health Minister Vasil Zharko said that there is sufficient amount of drugs produced domestically in Belarus. Previously, the Health Ministry Order 196 'On the promotion of domestic drugs' was adopted in order inform physicians about the Belarusian medicines appearing on the market.

At the same time, the minister said, nobody has the right to restrict patient's choice of drugs: if the patient is used to some imported drugs, the physician cannot force them to take Belarusian medicines.

Zharko: "If we do not have a production of our own, there is the original drug or a generic one of foreign production. They are present and will be present. There are no restrictions. But everyone should understand: the pharmacist must inform the patient that we have domestic product at that price, and the foreign one at another."

The Minister noted that the average price of Belarusian drugs is $1.36 (and this price did not rise if had no imported components), and the average cost of imported drugs is $4.72. The price for imported drugs remains the same, but their prices are in dollars or euros. But on their effects and the content of imported medicines and Belarusian ones are the same, says Zharko.

The minister added that the Belarusian medications are strictly controlled. He also said that during his work in the Ministry, no fake drugs were found in Belarus.

The official added that there are 1,300 medications produced in Belarus, and 400 of them were mastered over the past three years.