2022-01-17
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As promised, we signed the Government's decree today. Consequently, the Turkish market opens up, and high-quality, GMP-standard pharmaceuticals will be imported from Turkey, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated during today's Cabinet meeting.
The Prime Minister expressed hope that this step will significantly reduce medication prices in Georgia fast.
"As you know, I have openly discussed this issue in the past. There is a considerable price difference. If the most demanded pharmaceutical drugs cost, let's say hypothetically, 10 GEL, they priced at 1-2 GEL in Turkey, the reason why there can no arguments against opening up to the Turkish market. I have not heard one. Consequently, we have decided to open up the Turkish market, this decision coming into force today, and I hope that importers, relevant companies will import high-quality medications from Turkey, a step promising to reduce medication prices in Georgia significantly and fast," the Head of Government said.
At the same time, the Competition Agency has finalized a pharmaceutical market study, with monitoring carried out and recommendations provided to the Parliament and the Government.
The Prime Minister asked the Health Minister to put together a working team and request from relevant committees of the Parliament to launch joint work, because legislative amendments will be order to reduce prices on pharmaceuticals further.
"Most importantly, our main task should be monitoring medications prices, on one hand-I would not say regulation at this point-and quality control, on the other, and that is a must. Our population must be provided with quality pharmaceutical drugs, and that is our #1 request. We are launching active work, and Minister Zurab Azarashvili will start working on this issue to deliver results in a matter of weeks," the Prime Minister emphasized.
Press Service of the Government Administration