OREANDA-NEWS. February 17, 2014. There will be no price hikes for expensive medical products in 2014. This was announced by Vice Minister of Healthcare Eric Bayzhunusov at a briefing of Central Communications Service under the President of Kazakhstan in "Kazmediacenter".

"In international practice, drug prices and quality of medicines are related to national security system. Therefore, last year we have revised the competence of the Ministry of Healthcare on Agency on Competition Protection initiative and now the prices for all kinds of medicines purchased by the state are regulated by the Ministry. Single distributor "SK "Pharmacy" buys medical products of more than 900 names for which the prices are set by the Ministry of Healthcare. All these medicines have been purchased last year, that is why there will be no price hikes for the most expensive drugs related to oncology, hemophilia, diabetes, etc. on the hospital level and patient level in 2014," E. Baizhunusov said.

According to him, SC "Pharmacy" purchased medicines worth more than 90 billion tenge last year, and the Ministry of Healthcare will consider issues concerning them individually in case of any changes.

In addition, Vice Minister said that the entire amount of free drug supply will be completed.