Competition, Estonia, Markets and Companies, Medicine, Retail
International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Friday, 01.11.2024, 00:48
Estonian competition watchdog: Markup system for medicines inadequate
The competition watchdog has carried out an analysis of the
competitive situation in the field of retail and wholesale of medicinal
products with a view to assessing the efficiency of the regulation of markup
threshold values. Results of the analysis show that the risk of non-compliance with
rules is considerable.
"The lack of an economic regulator with clear
authorization in the pharmaceutical sector and dysfunctional price regulation
have an adverse effect on competition, consumers and appropriate use of health
insurance instruments," Director General of the Competition Authority Mart
Ots said.
Even though threshold values have been established for
markups in the wholesale and retail of pharmaceuticals, the Competition
Authority's analysis shows that the purchase price for wholesalers can be
manipulated.
In reality, drug manufacturers often repay wholesalers a
part of the purchase price in the form of so-called kickbacks -- bonuses or
fees for extra services. Markups, however, are calculated on the basis of the
higher price marked on the purchase invoice, making the final retail price
higher than it should be.
For the purpose of bringing some clarity into purchase
prices, the Competition Authority deems it necessary to subject pricing to a
set of rules without loopholes and establish clear oversight competence and
supervisory rights. The objective is to ensure the economic availability of
pharmaceuticals to patients and a fair price of medicinal products based on
their actual purchase price.
- 28.01.2022 BONO aims at a billion!
- 30.12.2020 Накануне 25-летия Балтийский курс/The Baltic Course уходит с рынка деловых СМИ
- 30.12.2020 On the verge of its 25th anniversary, The Baltic Course leaves business media market
- 30.12.2020 EU to buy additional 100 mln doses of coronavirus vaccine
- 30.12.2020 ЕС закупит 100 млн. дополнительных доз вакцины Biontech и Pfizer
- 29.12.2020 Lithuanian president signs 2021 budget bill into law
- 29.12.2020 Number of new companies registered in Estonia up in 2020
- 28.12.2020 Для гастарбайтеров и "командированных" уже с 5 января в Латвии будут новые правила игры
- 28.12.2020 Рынок недвижимости Эстонии осенью начал быстро восстанавливаться
- 28.12.2020 Tartu to support students' solar car project