A State Duma deputy to oversee AIPM
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 1, cont’d p. 2]
A Russian manufacturer files a bunch of applications for signing special investment agreements
Biocad filed with the Ministry of Industry and Trade 17 applications regarding the attribution of a number of their drugs to medicinal products having no local analogs. None of these drugs have been registered by the company so far, but Biocad plans to do so. In order to check Biocad’s data, the ministry forwarded the company’s applications to three professional associations. Now the entire industry is aware of the manufacturer’s R&D advances.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 3]
“Odd-man-out” proved to be a fool
Local player preference regulation results in losses in bidding
Distributors came across new issues when implementing the “odd-man-out” regulation. Pursuant to this regulation, they are facing fines if their applications are rejected more than twice a quarter. The wholesalers are so much disappointed that they have already applied to the Ministry of Economic Development. They confirmed at the ministry that they were aware of the problem and that they had already made certain efforts to remove it.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 4]
A problem of growth
Experts remark on overabundance of pharmacies
The number of pharmacies and pharmacy points in Russia has been growing fast over the past years. According to official stats, one pharmacy serves 800 customers. Russia leads the world in this respect, with Germany, Great Britain, France, and the USA lagging far behind. However, Russia loses in terms of real drug availability and affordability as well as in terms of fair competition between pharmacies.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 6]
Humans or law
Patient advocacy associations to become active pharma industry players
According to some experts, the role of patients is presently undervalued. While being the end users of pharmaceutical products, they basically have no effect either on corporate business processes or legislation. EEU Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Chairman of the Board Dmitry Chagin is of the opinion that the situation needs to be drastically changed. However other experts, while not being negative in respect of this initiative, warn that the patient community’s wills are often beyond the law and that excessive emotionality of this player will need to be controlled in case such player emerges.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 7]
Analgesics availability issue still pressing
The Ministry of Health reports on more than a 70% increase of analgesics availability in Russia over the past few years. This figure in itself is impressive, however other data cannot be ignored as well: e.g., as of 2015, only 20% of the Russian citizens in need of analgesia were getting the total scope of medical aid. The MoH plans to change the situation for the better in the short term, but experts are cautious in their evaluations and forecasts.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 8]
Export opportunities of Russian pharmaceutical manufacturers increase with local partners
The recent efforts by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in respect of the development of up-to-date drug manufacture in this country start bearing fruit, and production potential of many local manufacturing facilities already significantly exceeds the solvent capacity of the local market. PharmVestnik Editor-in-Chief recently visited several cities of Uzbekistan, one of the Central Asian countries closest to Russia and thus having a promising export market; he shares his findings.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 9]
In recession, marketing costs need to be carefully validated
On April 28, the meeting of the Russian Association of Pharmaceutical Marketing focused on defending marketing budgets in a recession period. The participants discussed difficulties of budgeting, which is always accompanied by spending vs saving inclinations. However in crisis, finance departments have a bargaining chip. What can a marketing specialist attempt in order to do it his/her own way?
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, pp. 10-11]
Stock market facing science
Stocks of Russian drug developers skyrocket
The year 2016 started with a stock market plunge worldwide. When oil prices sank to 30 USD/barrel, investors started selling out. Trading correction hit the pharmaceutical stocks as well. Notwithstanding all that, the Russian stock market was with a gain as of Q116. In the pharma segment, gains were posted by the stocks of the Institute of Human Stem Cells and JSC Pharmsintez.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 12]
A break point
Rating of Russian pharmacy chains, Q116
AlphaRM sums up the results of the out-of-pocket drug market development as of Q116. Consolidation continues in this segment. The 1st quarter results clearly support the trend that formed over the past year.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, pp. 16-19]
Russia starts training Neuro Pharma personnel
Experts assert that the next technological revolution will be associated with the Neuronet technologies. A fast development in this field with start following a complete cerebration decoding on analogy with the biotech revolution that started after the human genome was decoded. Among the industry’s pressing tasks is creating an efficient skill pool on the basis of adequately trained medical, biological, and IT specialists as well as special-purpose linguists.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 28]
Pharmacy chain offers disease-specific insurance
Novosibirsk Pharmacy Chain launched a new service for its customers, i.e. selling express insurance cards against tick-borne encephalitis. For the pharmacy chain itself, this is a good opportunity for boosting customer traffic, whereas for the insurance company Rosgosstrakh, which is the chain’s partner for this project, this is a chance to get another sales channel.
[PharmVestnik # 17, 17/05/2016, p. 32]
