Pharma industry set to work hard in 2017
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 2]
An export declaration
Officials and experts discussed Russian pharma promotion to foreign markets
Pursuant to the Federal Target Program of the Russian pharmaceutical and medical industry development “Pharma-2020”, over the period of 2010-2020, an export potential of the domestic pharmaceutical and medical industry is expected to post 8x growth. The first thing to be done before going out to any foreign market is to be duly certified. This issue was among others on the agenda of the international forum “Made in Russia – recognized abroad” hosted on February 15th by the Russian Export Center with support of the Ministry of Economic Development and the Federal Service for Accreditation.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 3]
The burden of social functions
Elena Nevolina called on pharmacy businesses not to look up to FMCG retailers
Traditionally, the key point of the Pharmacy Summit hosted by Infor-Media were presentations of directors of top-ranking pharmacy chains. In line with their presentations delivered over the past few years, those speakers reported successful implementation of their business development plans in 2016 and shared their equally optimistic plans for this year. Their enthusiasm was curbed by Director of the National Pharmaceutical Chamber Elena Nevolina who stated that the turnover was not the only pharmacy performance measure. Top managers of pharmacy chains had to explain why it was so difficult for them to fulfil their social functions.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 4]
MIPT storms pharma
Minister of Industry and Trade inaugurated a new educational building and lectured MIPT students on pharma
On February 13th, a ceremonial opening of the new educational building MIPT-Bio of the Pharmaceutical Cluster Severny (Northern) was held at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT). This new building presents every opportunity for breakthrough solutions across biology, medicine, physics, and chemistry. Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Denis Manturov cut the ribbon, after which he was acquainted with six MIPT-Bio labs including those of special medical equipment, technology, and pharmaсeutics; historic genetics, radiocarbon analysis, and applied physics; preclinical studies; dosage form design; innovative drug development; and genome engineering.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 6]
Rating of most influential subjects of the Russian pharma market, 2016 (2)
Romir surveyed 476 experts from 26 Russian cities to determine the most influential subjects of the Russian pharma market as of 2016. The winners in 11 categories were determined. The rankings of five of them were covered in PharmVestnik # 05, 14/02/2017. This issue presents the top rankers among Entrepreneurs/Heads of commercial enterprises; Professional associations; Russian manufacturers; Foreign manufacturers; Distributors; and Pharmacy Chains.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, pp. 10-12]
Online drug sales may remain unsettled for a long time
Online drug sales have not been legalized so far. Professional community believes that there are many issues that need to be made as specific as possible in the potential law. It goes about Rx drug sales regulations as well as delivery agent education. Presidential Internet Adviser Herman KLIMENKO speaks about why he is more optimistic about a telehealth law than about an online drug sales regulation and who is in the way of technological advances.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 14]
Petrovax will be unable to participate in flu vaccine supply biddings
In late January, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) ordered the National Immunology Company (NatsImBio) to re-invite a tender for supplying 17.82 m flu vaccine doses at the initial contract price of 1.85 bn RUB. This order came following the review by the FAS of NPO Petrovax Pharm complaint. However, this made no good to the company as in the beginning of February Petrovax was notified by its antigen supplier that the latter was unable to supply the required quantity of vaccine antigens due to inadequate production capabilities.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 15]
Supplement manufacturers moving to self-management slowly but surely
The Russian Unions of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs sent a letter to the Federal Service for Customer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being Surveillance proposing to expand the self-organization and self-management opportunities for dietary supplement manufacturers. Experts believe that self-management has a brilliant future, however it is unclear so far when this future may come.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 15]
Counterparty relationships in pharma need revision
Commodity distribution network participants are sure that the time has come to make an active use of financial instruments safeguarding against bankruptcies and nonpayment. The time when the relationships between manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy chains were based solely on trust is over. Trust is being substituted by the motto: “Nothing personal, just business”. However, the relationships that manufacturers and distributors maintain with federal pharmacy chains dramatically differ from those built with regional pharmacies. During the Pharmacy Summit held on February 15th in Moscow, pharmaceutical market players answered the question: “What insurance mechanisms against payment delays were most efficient?”
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 16]
Homeopathy under heat
Scandals associated with anti-homeopathic memo go on
For 200 years, homeopathy supporters and opponents have been unable to come to an agreement. For a long time, it has been difficult to find new arguments from either party. It is much more interesting to follow the events triggered off by the scandalous memo issued by the RAS commission that declared homeopathy a pseudoscience as well as analyze its potential effects.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 17]
Manufacturers have four months left to join drug marking program
In 2018, drug marking will become compulsory. To join the drug marking program on time, manufacturers need to make appropriate solutions shortly. Otherwise, they risk being left beyond the pharma market.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 18]
Pharma corporate CEOs speak on industry trends
The CEOs of pharma companies participating in the conference "Pharmaceutical business in Russia: pharma market development prospects for 2017” (February 14) discussed the most pressing issues of the first two months of this year. PharmVestnik presents their views.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 20]
Siberian largest municipal pharmacy chain started developing vending machine business
So far, there is only one vending machine of Novosibirsk Pharmacy Chain in the city of Novosibirsk. However, if an industrial partner joins in this business the number of vending machines will go up. At the same time, experts have failed to recollect a Russian pharma retailer presently developing this business line.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 26]
An alcoholic tincture manufacturer to change focus
Ekaterinburg Pharmaceutical Factory stops manufacturing alcoholic tinctures. This business becomes unprofitable in the new environment. The factory’s priority will be production of proprietary formulations of dietary supplements.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 27]
Pharma associations differ on market development prospects
A three-stage government procurement scheme remains one of the most discussed topics in the pharma industry. In the beginning of this February, the EAEU Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Association circulated letters to Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government Arkady Dvorkovich, Minister in No Charge Michail Abyzov, and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Sergey Tsyb. In these letters, the association members formulated their views of the situation. The AIPM has stepped in the discussion as well. PharmVestnik presents the opinions of both parties.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 28]
Russia needs a national antibiotic therapy strategy
A special study suggests that St. Petersburg hospitals prescribe excessive and sometimes unnecessary antibiotic treatment, which largely results in the development of treatment-resistant bacteria.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 29]
Misfortunate Abolmed
Lawyer’s view of a court case
Abolmed is a Russian parenteral antibiotic manufacturer with earnings of approx. 1 bn RUB a year in 2011—2014, and approx. 230 m RUB in 2015. On January 26th, 2017, the relevant tax authority filed an application with Novosibirsk regional arbitration court declaring Abolmed bankrupt as a debtor. Before exploring the causes of what has happened, it is worthwhile to pay attention to some facts and the sequence of events. The results of investigation will be of use for other pharma companies.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 29]
Regulators against quota allocations for the number of pharmacies
The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has cautioned the director of a Pskov pharmacy who said that there were too many pharmacies in the town. Now it is too risky to say such things; however, the problem still exists. Many of the superabundant pharmacy outlets in big cities can barely make both ends meet. Some experts think that the issue of regulating the number of pharmacies is already pressing, however the authorities will wait for a long time until the market self-regulates this issue.
[PharmVestnik # 06, 21/02/2017, p. 30]
