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Drug prices rise despite order
The price of several drugs has risen this week despite the Ministry of Health’s order given to drug manufacturers and distributors not to increase prices before June 30.
The retail prices of several domestic and imported drugs, particularly imported drugs, has increased 5 per cent to 50 per cent in the past few days, according to pharmacies.
At several drug stores in Hanoi, the retail price of Glyburid, a diabetes medication, had increased from VND115,000 to VND135,000 per 500-tablet bottle.
Cacinol syrup, a calcium supplement, had also risen by VND8,000 to VND36,000 a bottle.
Kakama, a domestically produced drug that increases blood circulation to the brain, has also gone up from VND18,000 to VND22,500 for a 60-tablet bottle.
Several pharmaceutical companies and distributors have sent their notices of higher drug prices to pharmacies and hospitals.
Tran Thi Thanh Ha, head of the Central Obstetrics Hospital’s Pharmaceutical Ward, said the hospital had also received notices of price rised on certain drugs, including Secnol, Utrogestan and Festimon.
Domestic pharmaceutical companies said the recent fluctuation in the dong/dollar exchange rate contributed to the jump in drug prices as Vietnamese pharmaceutical companies imported more than 90 per cent of materials used to manufacture their products.
Truong Quoc Cuong, head of the MoH’s Viet Nam Pharmaceutical Management Department, said he had recently received requests on raising drug prices from pharmaceutical companies and distributors.
The department will consider the requests carefully before deciding whether to allow the pharmaceutical companies and distributors to adjust prices or not, Cuong said.
However, the adjustment of drug prices must both protect the rights of patients and ensure the operation of pharmaceutical companies and distributors, he said.
Cao Minh Quang, deputy minister of health, said the MoH would regulate the profit rate of drugs sold at hospital pharmacies.
The retail prices of drugs sold at hospital pharmacies are permitted to be only 5 per cent to 15 per cent higher than imported prices, Quang said.
Hospital pharmacies currently meet 70 per cent of drug demand of patients.
To limit the scarcity of drugs, the MoH has also asked the Government to increase the budget for the national drug reserve fund from its current VND330 billion (US$20.6 million) to VND500billion ($31.25 million).
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