Georgia: Georgian Premier Irakli Garibashvili and Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili paid a visit to the Tbilisi pharmacy on Thursday in order to inspect the results of the recent initiatives taken by the Government on lowering prices on the Georgian market by importing pharmaceuticals from Turkey and introducing a new prescription system.
During the visit, the PM asked about the demand for imported drugs and the practical usage of the computerised and generic prescriptions system during his visit, according to the Government Administration.
Moreover, Garibashvili spoke to pharmacists and consumers, emphasising his Government’s “priority” of “maximising access” to medicinal drugs while assuring the high quality of items produced in accordance with Good Manufacturing standards.
The reforms are the result of a Health Ministry reform aiming at making the Georgian pharmaceutical industry “transparent and accessible” while also providing residents with high-quality drugs.
New prescriptions that can only be issued for pharmaceuticals with generic or international titles rather than specific brands are part of the initiative, allowing customers to pick products of their choice during purchase.
As per the new regulations, doctors will no longer be able to issue prescriptions for products under their trade name, and pharmacists will be compelled to provide customers with equivalents of three high-quality, low-cost medications from the recommended generic type.
The reform includes the recent commencement of importation of medical drugs produced in Turkey, as a result of a Georgian PM’s initiative, with the aim of lowering costs on the Georgian market.
Furthermore, the imports from the Turkish pharmaceutical market began on January 17 and have resulted in 60-80% cost savings in Georgia for up to 250 pharmaceuticals, including chronic illness treatments.
The Turkish produced affordable medicines can be bought at pharmacy chains all over Georgia, according to the Health Ministry, and the list of companies and suppliers engaged is continually growing.