In the media and social networks, questions often arise about failures in the supply of medicines to retail pharmacies, and these problems are mistakenly associated with the activities of the Single Distributor SK-Pharmacy.
In this regard, we inform you that SK-Pharmacy LLP is the Single Distributor for the procurement of medicines and medical devices within the guaranteed volume of free medical care (SVFMC) and in the system of compulsory social health insurance (SCSHI).
The Single Distributor is engaged in the procurement and supply of medicines only for free medicine provision at the outpatient (polyclinics) and inpatient (hospitals) levels. About 2,000 medical organizations of both the inpatient and outpatient sectors are provided with medicines through the Single Distribution system.
The supply of medicines to retail pharmacies is not related to the activities of the Single Distributor.
The list of medicines and medical devices within the framework of the guaranteed volume of medical care and in the compulsory health insurance system for outpatient medicine provision was approved by order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated August 5, 2021 No. ҚР ДСМ - 75.
The list of medicines to be procured from the Single Distributor was approved by the authorized body in the field of healthcare dated August 20, 2021 No. ҚР DSM-88, which contains: characteristics of medicines, international non-proprietary name and their marginal prices.
The medicines procurement is carried out on the basis of applications submitted to the Single Distributor by medical organizations within the framework of inpatient care and the Social Health Insurance Fund within the framework of outpatient medicine provision.
Medical organizations determine their need both by the names of medicines and by their volumes themselves. And in accordance with these applications, the Single Distributor conducts a procurement.
The Single Distributor has a contact center in order to track issues of free medicine provision and work directly with patients. It accumulates all data from the population about failures in the supply of medicines. Patients from all over Kazakhstan can call the short number 1439 free of charge from any city phone and receive full information on medicines for free dispensing.
As for private entities of pharmaceutical activity, they operate in a market environment and are business entities.
There are more than 8,000 retail pharmacies in Kazakhstan that have a license to sell medicines and medical devices. Private pharmacies procure this from wholesale distributors based on their forecasts and sales volumes.
Also, the public is concerned about the pricing of medicines.
In order to ensure a transparent medicine pricing system, starting from the price of the manufacturer’s factory, an additional margin for distributors and pharmacies in Kazakhstan, state regulation of prices for all medicines was introduced in 2019.
In accordance with the Article 7 of the Code "On the health of the people and the healthcare system", the formation and approval of marginal prices is within the competence of the authorized body in the field of healthcare.
Thus, every year, the Decree of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan approves the marginal prices for medicines for procurement under the State Observatory of Compulsory Health Care and in the compulsory medical insurance system, as well as separately for retail and wholesale sales, which are reviewed every six months. This measure is designed to increase both the economic availability of medicines and reduce social tension among a wide range of the population.
The marginal prices for medicines for procurement within the framework of the guaranteed volume of free medical care and the compulsory medical insurance system through the single distribution system for 2022 are regulated by the Order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated September 4, 2021 No. ҚР ДСМ-96.
Thus, the pricing policy of medicines and medical devices is not within the competence of the Single Distributor.
Reference:
SK-Pharmacy LLP, by Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated February 9, 2021 No. 48, is designated as the Single Distributor and operates in accordance with Article 247 of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the Health of the People and the Healthcare System”, guided by the Rules for Organizing and Conducting the Procurement of Medicines and Medical Devices , pharmaceutical services, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated October 30, 2009 No. 1729 and the Rules for the Procurement of Services for the Storage and Transportation of Medicines and Medical Devices by the Single Distributor under the SVFMC and in the SCSHI System, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated February 9, 2021 No. 47.
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