Prices of pharmaceuticals down by 5-86%, says health minister

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Drug pricing panel finalizes 4-stage survey

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 9, (KUNA): Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel Al- Sabah said the drug pricing committee of his ministry finalized a four-stage survey of the new prices of pharmaceuticals. Under the survey, the prices of 3,126 pharmaceuticals were brought down by 5-86 percent from the rates approved by the GCC drug pricing committee, he said in a statement.

“The first stage of the survey covers the prices of drugs of heart, blood vessels, endocrines and diabetes given their crucial effect in the treatment of chronic diseases,” he minister revealed. “The prices of 1,033 compounds for the treatment of these diseases, which are prevalent in the GCC region, were reduced by up to 84 percent, he revealed. “The prices of 675 drugs for treatment of skin, chest and digestive system disorders were reduced by up to 83 percent. “The prices of 1,034 compounds for the treatment of communicable diseases, tumors and inflammation as well as the immune system disorders were reduced by rates amounting to 86 percent,” Sheikh Dr Basel went on.

The drug pricing is a dynamic process given the discovery of new compounds and competition among producers to serve the consumers, he pointed out. “This competition has a positive impact on patients and health facilities; it is also helpful for the Ministry in its efforts to improve service and offer effective and safe drugs at affordable prices,” he stated. In December 2006, the Ministry’s supreme council approved a resolution by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) drug pricing committee on the standardization of Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) of drugs.

Resolution
“The resolution approved the prices of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for considerations relating to availability and affordability,” he said, adding that in case of registration of a new drug in a GCC country at a lower rate, the prices is adopted on other member countries. ‘Save my family’: An Egyptian expatriate has appealed to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor and the embassy of his home country to rescue him from the claws of a malicious absconding report filed against him amid stubbornness of an official in the company he once worked through whom his service was terminated. The man said his future is now threatened, over and above the welfare of his family constituting his wife, four children, and mother whom he is supporting after the death of his father.

In a chat with Al-Seyassah daily, the man said he started working for the aforementioned company that deals in dairy products and foodstuff since 2016, and roughly five months ago, he took a trip to Egypt but the circumstances there forced him to report for duty eight days late. Upon his return, the man was surprised to find out that his service in the company has been terminated without any compensation. He added the company official, who is a compatriot, then requested him to transfer to another sponsor.

However, he turned around to impede the whole transfer process. “Following the intervention of good Samaritans, the company agreed to proceed with my residence procedures on condition that I transfer to another sponsor as soon as possible”, he said. Consequently, he visited Shoun with the mandoub of the new sponsor after Eid Al- Adha to get a new work permit, and the application was accepted, but they could not pay the required fee due to a technical system fault. Therefore, they were asked to come the following day to pay the fees.

Upon their return to Shoun the next day, they were told the department was no longer able to complete the transaction, because the former company/ sponsor that terminated his services had filed an absconding case against him.

This news has been read 12240 times!