The conference, entitled “The Market for Drugs, positive lists and supply of innovative and generic drugs” was held on 5 October at the Hyatt Hotel in Belgrade. At the conference were: prof. Dr Zoran Stankovic, Minister of Health of Serbia, Nikola Todorov, Minister of Health of the Republic of Macedonia, Goran Cerkez, Deputy Minister of Health Federation of International Cooperation and coordination of development strategies, Vanda Markovic Pekovic, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare of the Serbian Republic, prof. Aleksandar Vuksanovic, the director of the Health Insurance Fund, Tatjana Šipetić, Director of Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia, Peter Bergquist, vice president and member of the Executive Board of Actavis Group, Ranko Bjelanovic, public affairs manager for the company MSD Serbian, Bojan Trkulja, Director of manufacturer of innovative medicines Inovio, and other important guests from the region.
Health Minister Zoran Stankovic said on that occasion that the local manufacturers of drugs should have the same treatment in other countries as foreign producers have on the pharmaceutical market in Serbia. On the pharmaceutical market in Serbia, there are 4000 drugs that were given permission to trade, which are produced by more than 300 manufacturers. Last year, the ministry proposed the adoption of the Law on Medicines and Medical Devices, which is consistent with the directives and regulations of the European Union and the demands of the World Trade Organization, which set the basis for the regulation of drug market in Serbia.
Bojan Trkulja, director of Fund for innovative drug manufacturers Inovia, spoke about the obstacles that has an innovative pharmaceutical industry in Serbia. His conclusion is that in Serbia are underused innovative drugs, and the reasons are varied, ranging from the registration process, which can sometimes last a year. “After the first year is passed in the registration, the following point is the arrival of the drug on the positive list. We for more than three years had a situation in Serbia that on the positive list was none innovative drug. This year, thanks to the efforts of the new management we put HIF 33 innovative drugs to the list, “said Trkulja.
As an additional problem, pointed out the law on patent protection. Namely, when it was enacted, the law allowed innovative drug to be on the market eight years, and that only after this period can register as a generic drug. However, later it was “suspended” and now the period after which a generic drug can be registered is six years. “If we compare these facts, we can get to the math, that left only a few years to be an original drug to market. Because when generics enter, given the way pricing, innovative drug has no more chances. “This is a problem for the innovative pharmaceutical industry, and even more for patients. Trkulja Bojan said that one should not make decisions for which we know will not last long, and that we should see the regions that are in some solutions when it comes to innovative medicines, ahead of Serbia.
The conference aimed to encourage dialogue between all stakeholders – governments and government institutions, pharmaceutical manufacturers, importers and wholesalers on how to contribute to resolving the outstanding issues in the field of drug market in the interest of all and above all the end users. The conference was held under auspices of the Ministry of Health of Serbia with the support of the Republican Fund for Health Insurance.
