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On March 29, the RA NA Standing Committee on Health Care convened a work debate on Existing Problems in the RA Pharmaceutical Market. The economic entities operating in the sphere in the Republic of Armenia took part in the debate.

The Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Health Care Narek Zeynalyan informed that the previous day a debate on the same topic was also held with the representatives of the companies engaged in the import of medicines.

The participants of the debate were particularly concerned with the provision on the import of pharmaceuticals in the Law on Medicines.

According to the guests, parallel import has been designed to decrease the prices of medicines, which is not used in practice, moreover, poor quality medicines appear on the market under the name of parallel import, often also threatening national security. In the participants’ opinion, parallel importers pursue the goal of making super profits. According to them, they are the authors of the price decreases in the pharmaceutical market. They are also the bearers of social obligation.

Referring to the ban on the import of unregistered medicines, which came into force from January 1, the participants urged not to lift the ban in any case, so that medicines do not enter the Republic of Armenia through smuggling. There is no control over such medicines, they are not responsible for the quality of medicines and the false dates.

The Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Health Care Narek Zeynalyan proposed the guests to submit raised problems in written form. He promised to study them and, if necessary, legislative amendments will be made.