The law on the unification of the price of medicinal products from last year entered into force, however, the challenge remains to enforce it.
While the very purpose of the law on the price of drugs was to save citizens' pockets, even though more than 1 year has passed since this law was approved in the Assembly of Kosovo, patients are being forced to wander from one pharmacy to another to buy drugs at prices lower ones.According to the Ministry of Health, this list is currently in appeal procedures and as such has no binding force.
"Based on the legal provisions of the Law on the Price of Medicinal Products, the Commission for determining the prices of medicinal products, pursuant to the Decision of the Complaints Commission for the price of medicinal products, in accordance with Decision No. 05-5084 has determined the prices of medicinal products registered by Marketing Authorization Holders, in the Kosovo Agency for Medicinal Products and Equipment. The list enters into force after the end of the appeal procedures, the published list is a preliminary list and as such has no binding force. it was said in the letter of the Ministry of Health.According to him, the applicability of this law is a necessity for the pharmaceutical sector.
Haxijaha for KosovaPreess emphasizes that the law for the unification of the price of drugs, in addition to reducing the price of drugs, also enables the fight against the illegal market.
Kodra raised concerns that patients in Kosovo are continuing to buy medications at abusive prices.
The deputy of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Bekim Haxhiu explained that despite the fact that almost 1 year has passed since this law came into effect, there is still no price list of medicines.
The law that provided for the regulation of the price of drugs for public purchases and the private market was approved in July of last year.
During the month of May of this year, the preliminary price list of medicinal products was published, but then it was canceled on the grounds that there is an increase in the price of 100 drugs.
In 2019, the Ministry of Health issued an administrative instruction for the unification of drug prices, but it was not implemented.