Representatives of the Association of Manufacturers of Innovative Medicines, which is a member of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, have sent an official letter to the Office of the President, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economy with a request to review the provisions of the updated draft Procedure for the provision of marketing services in pharmacies, UNN reports.
Details
As UNN learned from its own sources, the appeal emphasizes that the ban on marketing agreements, which has been in place for more than three months, has not led to a decrease in drug prices, as previously expected. Moreover, according to the authors of the letter, at meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Health and the Office of the President, it was also noted that the share of sales attributable to marketing agreements is insignificant.
The Association warns that the current version of the document may lead to a further increase in final prices for consumers, especially for prescription drugs, and therefore calls on the authorities to abandon strict percentage restrictions on marketing expenses and instead introduce transparent and understandable rules for regulating such agreements, without the need to disclose commercially sensitive information to the public.
Currently, the Association of Manufacturers of Innovative Medicines considers it advisable to return to the previous version of the Procedure, which provides for the establishment of a maximum amount of expenses for marketing services within 12-15% of the total sales of medicines by the pharmacy, without reference to the volume of sales by the manufacturer. As an alternative, the Association proposes to abandon fixed percentage restrictions at the legislative level and instead introduce clear and transparent rules that can become the basis for concluding marketing agreements.
Thus, the Association emphasizes the need for a flexible and balanced approach to the regulation of the pharmaceutical market, which, on the one hand, will ensure transparency and integrity of contractual relations, and on the other hand, will not lead to unforeseen consequences for the market and the end consumer. Any changes should be based on analytical data, take into account the specifics of the pharmaceutical industry and comply with European approaches to regulation.
Let us remind you
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 168 of February 14, 2025 provides for new rules for regulating the pharmaceutical market. In particular, restrictions were introduced on markups on supply and distribution and retail allowances for all medicines, and not only for certain categories. In addition, the resolution prohibits retailers from entering into marketing agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers, which allowed pharmacies to make discounts for patients, implement social projects and train pharmacists.
The aim of the innovations was to reduce prices and increase the availability of medicines. At the same time, patient organizations warned that excessive intervention in the market may lead to a shortage of drugs, the closure of pharmacies in rural areas and the curtailment of patient support programs.
Add
As of June 2025, analysts are recording an increase in drug prices in Ukraine, despite government initiatives. In January-April 2025, drug consumption in monetary terms increased by +21% in hryvnia compared to the same period in 2024. This indicates an increase in the cost per unit of output: Ukrainians spend more money on medicines, although they buy no more than last year (the volume of packages sold has hardly changed). In addition, the announced in February reduction in prices for the TOP-100 drugs from the Government and the Ministry of Health turned out to be ineffective - the real reduction in monetary terms was only -1.8%, because these drugs account for only 8.4% of the retail market. Thus, state regulation has not yet had a tangible effect, as it covers only a small part of the market.