SMP Bank to put together information on Russian pharma market
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 1, cont’d p. 3]
EEC finds a trade-off solution on drug interchangeability
According to ECC Panel Chairman Tigran Sarkisyan, the Panel experts have arrived at the understanding of how the member states were to regulate the drug interchangeability issue. A solution expected by the pharmaceutical community for more than half a year was found during the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting on August 12. However, the final document that is to put an end to a prolonged argument has not been signed yet. Nonetheless, PharmVestnik found out what the trade-off solution offered to the EEC member states was and why the EEC was not in a hurry to disclose any details notwithstanding Mr. Sarkisyan’s statement.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 2]
Medical community proposes extending VED list by excluding outdated drugs
The VED list’2016 includes 46 new INNs. However, the latest revision of the list has failed to satisfy the medical community. Physicians keep insisting that the VED list shall be extended by way of including innovative drugs. They are sure that their high cost shall not discourage experts, as an efficacious treatment is not an additional financial burden but, on the contrary, provides to cost-cutting due to patients’ quality of life improvement. This was the top agenda of the roundtable “Treating a patient, not a disease, is vital and important” held at the Rossiyskaya Gazeta’s (Russian Newspaper) media center.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 4]
Innovative minimum
All-Russia People’s Front dissatisfied with local R&D rate
An innovative economy development is one of the government’s top priorities approved by President V. Putin back in May 2012. Representatives of the All-Russia People’s Front controlling the execution of presidential orders noted a low activity level among the Russian scientists together with an inadequate amount of funding to that end. Experts are puzzled over such statement and remind that investment in innovative projects must be long-term.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 5]
A matter-of-course alternative
Pharmacies to recommend local similars
The Russian government made another maneuver in respect of the market regulation. This time change will affect pharmacies. The executive authorities concerned were charged with the development of a set of actions in order to obligate pharmacies to inform customers first about the cheapest drugs. Such actions also presuppose making customers aware about the availability of local similars of imported drugs.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 6]
In perfect harmony
No crisis in relationships of distributors and pharmacies observed
The economic crisis initiated by the ruble crash in the autumn of 2014 has triggered the account settlement issue between counterparts. This has become an ordeal for the pharma market, as trade credits are routine for this sector. However, after distributor debts have been accumulated by pharmacy chains, in particular 36.6, voices in favor of advance payment have been heard increasingly often. Nonetheless, dramatic changes have been avoided. It looks like the distributor – retailer relationships have normalized.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 8]
Generics price-quality ratio issue remains open
The affordability in terms of price as well as efficacy comparable with that of the originators have made generics the pharma industry driver all over the world. Russia is among the top-ranking states in this respect. However, a contrary trend has been observed over the past years as well, namely: some generics, on the one hand, have come close to originators in terms of their cost, while, on the other hand, giving rise to unfavorable criticism both on part of patients and physicians.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 9]
Without intermediaries
What manufactures think about working with pharmacy chains
According to KPMG pharmacy chain survey, 44% of large pharmacy chains have direct supplies from manufacturers, and 63% expect such supplies to appear this year. Striving to work directly with manufacturers is well-grounded as this is a real way to boost retail business profitability. However, mainly large chains can afford direct supplies. At the same time, marketing agreements are widespread. 59% of the pharmacy chains covered by the survey expected a significant revenue growth associated with such agreements in 2016. Together with that, some pharmacy representatives believe that such agreements need to be prohibited as they restrain competition. PharmVestnik found out manufacturers’ attitude to direct supplies and marketing agreements.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 10]
Antimigraine drug market report
None of the antimigraine drugs is on the VED list, notwithstanding the fact that 1 out of ten people in the world and 1 out of 6 people in Russia suffer from migraine. This report covers the rankings of best-selling antimigraine drugs in the out-of-pocket segment over the first 5 months of 2016.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 13]
Rating of Russian pharmacy chains, H116
In the summer down time for the regulators, pharmaceutical retailers were left to their own resources to “make fun”. Firstly, a tempest in a teapot was provoked by the proposal to implement regulations restricting opening of new pharmacies; secondly, at an interval of approximately a month, top managers of two large companies stated their intents to open at least 3000 pharmacies each within the next few years. Apart from this, in selected Russian regions, both scheduled and rather spontaneous activities were observed in terms of a variety of deals and alliances that have already resulted in dramatic changes among the top-ranking companies both at the regional and national level. At the same time, the current “race to the top” is far from being the final heat. The most part of changes underway over the past 2 to 3 years are just “pre-Olympic qualifications”. A serious fight for the leadership may be expected at best in 2018—2020.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, pp. 14-15]
Dietary supplement sales report, H116
Dietary supplements account for about 4% of the total pharmacy sales being the most receptive parapharmaceutical segment. Presently, about 2.2 thousand supplements trademarks made by approximately 900 manufacturers are selling on the Russian market. This analytical report by DSM Group provides the details on the supplements segment.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, pp. 16-17]
No “brain drain” ahead
Novosibirsk scientists register a tick-borne encephalitis drug
The employees of the Molecular Biology Laboratory of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine (RAS Siberian branch) have completed Encemab preclinical trials. This medicaton has been in development since 2009 when the scientists decided to create a drug that would not have any disadvantageous features of serum immunoglobulin, which is the only specific tick-borne encephalitis treatment agent.
[PharmVestnik # 26, 30/08/2016, p. 20]
