ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH DEVELOPS DRAFT LAW ON QUALITY INCREASE OF MEDICAMENTS IN THE MARKET

ARKA
March 29, 2010
Yerevan

YEREVAN, March 29. /ARKA/. Armenian Ministry of Health develops
draft law targeted at the quality increase of medicaments in the
local market, said Ara Babloyan, Chairman of Standing Committee of
National Assembly on Health Issues on Monday.

"Development of such a draft law approves that currently there are
problems in Armenia related to overdue medicaments, their quality
and prices, territorial and financial availability. There are also
a number of violations in this sphere", he said.

During the development of draft law the Ministry of Health does not
aim to toughen the punishments envisaged by legislation but prevention
of low quality and overdue medicaments.

Current legislation prohibits circulation of overdue medicaments in
the local market. The new draft law toughens the order of control on
the quality of medicaments.

The draft law will be submitted to the Parliament till the end of
the year for discussion.

The volume of overdue medicaments and medicaments due to destruction
in Armenia is about 200-300 tons.

Only 14% or 445 names of all medicaments in the Armenian market are
produced in Armenia and 22% or 718 names of medicaments are imported
from NIS countries, the remaining 64% – from other countries.

During 10 months of 2009 the volume of import of medicaments to
Armenia was $60.38 million versus $83.93 million in 2008.