Change in Procurement of Medicines Has Been Approved

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has again reinstated the deadlines for mandatory observance by healthcare institutions and facilities, fully or partially financed from the state and local budgets, of the requirements of Resolution “Some Issues of State Regulation of Prices for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices” No. 333 as of March 25^th, 2009.

Thus, on August 23^rd, 2017, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a decision according to which institutions and health care institutions, fully or partially financed from state and local budgets, may procure medicinal products legitimately registered in Ukraine and included in the State Register of Medicinal Products of Ukraine. Therefore, these healthcare institutions and facilities are not required to follow the National List of Essential Medicines while procuring medicines in 2017.

Considering all the difficulties in the process of formation of the National List of Essential Medicines and provision of patients with drugs, according to Alexander Bondar, senior associate at Legal Alliance Company, such postponement is seen as logical and anticipated. It will allow customers to complete the initiated procurement of medicines necessary for patients in accordance with existing provisions and procedures.

Let us remind you that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine postpones these terms for the second time. Thus, according to the previous wording of Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “Some Issues of State Regulation of Prices for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices” No. 333 as of march 25^th, 2009, healthcare institutions and facilities, which are fully or partially financed from state and local budgets, had to procure medicinal products which had been registered in Ukraine in accordance with the law and included in the National List of Essential Medicines, since July 1^st, 2017.

However, according to Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On Amendments to Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 333 as of March 25^th, 2009” No. 547 as of July 4^th, 2017, this requirement was postponed and customers were able to complete the procurement of drugs started before September 1^st, 2017 in accordance with the procedure and provisions that were in force before the specified date.

We note that same changes are made into Resolution of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On Arranging Free and Preferential Release of Medicines by Prescriptions of Doctors in the case of Outpatient Treatment of Certain Population Groups and for Certain Categories of Diseases” No. 1303 as of August 17^th, 1998.

According the draft resolution on the introduction of these changes, which is in the public domain, paragraph 1(2) of Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1303 as of August 17^th, 1998 is proposed in the new wording, as follows:

• From January 1^st, 2018, medicines included in the National List of Essential Medicines should be released free of charge and on preferential terms.
• Subject to the full provision of procured medicinal products, registered in Ukraine in accordance with the by law and included in the National List, medicinal products registered in Ukraine and not included in the National List may be released free of charge and on preferential terms.
• By January 1^st, 2018, medicinal products, which are registered in Ukraine in accordance with the law and are included in the State Register of Medicinal Products of Ukraine, are released free of charge and on preferential terms.