OREANDA-NEWS. June 22, 2009. Since autumn 2008, the prices for medicines in Russia have increased significantly. It can be explained by considerable dependance of the Russian medicine market on import (the exchange rate of Ruble against the main world currencies), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

At the same time, soaring prices on the pharmaceuticals market during the economic crisis open the way for unfair competition and artificially (inconsistently with the real market demand) overvalued prices for some medicines.

Taking into consideration social importance of drug prices (increase of drug first of all adversely affect the socially vulnerable groups- seniors, disabled and chronically ill people, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia), jointly with other governmental agencies, is tightening control over possible pricing abuse.

Earlier FAS Russia analysed the retail market of medicines, products of medical purpose and related goods and identified many economic entities, having the signs of dominating local markets within the boundaries of towns and municipalities.

FAS Russia instructed the Heads of their regional offices to include the persons, that control over 35% of retail markets of medicines, products of medical purpose and related goods in town and municipal districts, in the Regional Registers of economic entities controlling over 35% of the market for particular goods. By 18th June 2009 more than 915 pharmacy chains were included in the Regional Registers.

According to the instructions of the Government of the Russian Federation, FAS Russia is one of the governmental agencies responsible for monitoring prices for medicines. To execute Clause 7 Question II of No.9 Protocol of the meeting of the Government Commission for Increasing Sustainable Development of the Russian Economy of 10th March 2009, FAS Russia instructed all its regional offices to quarterly monitor prices for 100 medicines, most strongly sought-for by the population, in pharmaceutical institutions that have dominant positions on retail markets of medicines, products of medical purpose and related goods in town and municipal districts.

Information about prices must be analysed as of the first day of every quarter, staring from 1st January 2009. The regional antimonopoly bodies will present their first reports to the Central FAS Russia's Office on 1st August 2009 based on price monitoring as of three dates: 1st January, 1st April and 1st July 2009.

FAS Russia will analyse prices for medicines that are both included or not included in the essential and most important drug list.

In every constituent territory of the Russian Federation, drugs included in the list have maximum markups, exceeding which violates Clause 10 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (violating pricing procedures). Drugs that are not included in the list, will be analysed for monopolistically high prices: their retail prices will be compared with average prices on comparable markets.

The regional antimonopoly bodies will also monitor price trends for medicines and correlate increase of drug prices with the level of inflation and changes in the cost of the dual currency basket.

FAS Russia will initiate proceedings for violating the antimonopoly legislation upon all facts of fixing monopolistically high prices by the market-dominant pharmacies, violating pricing procedures or participating in price collusions.