MOSCOW: The Russian national Parliament (State Duma) plans to consider the possibility of introducing a ban on the imports of drugs from the USA and some European Union states to Russia at the beginning of the current year, according to Duma press-service.
The introduction of ban will be a response to the latest package of sanctions, imposed on Russia by the US government and which have led to serious problems for some Russian businessmen, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent.
According to Russian pharmaceutical analytics firm DSM Group, the share of imported drugs on the Russian market in 2017 exceeded 70%. The number of imported drugs for which analogues are produced within the country is not available.
According to the Russian Ministry of Health, US companies accounted for 28% of the market in value terms and 8% of the public procurement segment.
At present the government usually buys cheaper domestic analogues, if they are available, however patients buying drugs with their own money will be deprived of a choice.
