Increase access to quality medicines and reduce drug costs.

At the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly , the Government will submit the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Pharmaceuticals to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.

According to the Ministry of Health , after more than 7 years of implementation, in response to urgent practical demands, the legal system regarding pharmaceuticals has revealed limitations and inadequacies. For example, at certain times, some drugs have not had their registration renewed; and some drugs belonging to very rare drug groups (e.g., antidotes, antivenom, anti-snake venom serum, etc.) have experienced localized supply shortages. The Ministry also cited many objective and subjective reasons leading to this situation.

To address the drug shortage, the Ministry of Health has implemented the issuance of drug registration certificates. In 2023, the Ministry of Health submitted documents to competent authorities to ensure that drugs and medical equipment meet the needs of the people for examination and treatment: Resolution No. 80 dated January 9, 2023, of the National Assembly allows eligible drugs to extend their validity until the end of 2024;

Government Resolution No. 30 on continuing to implement solutions to ensure the supply of medicines and medical equipment; promulgating and implementing legal documents as a basis for ensuring logistics and supply in the pharmaceutical sector.

Strengthening the supply of quality medicines and reducing drug shortages.

Currently, there are over 23,000 registered and valid drugs with approximately 800 different active ingredients, ensuring sufficient drug supply to meet healthcare needs.

Besides issuing drug registration certificates, the Ministry of Health has also granted import licenses for drugs that have not yet been registered in certain cases: licensing the import of rare drugs, drugs with limited supply, emergency drugs, and antidotes to serve the special treatment needs of hospitals; and annually licensing the import of yellow fever vaccine for use by soldiers in peacekeeping forces in South Sudan.

When the Covid-19 pandemic occurred, the Ministry of Health made efforts to license the import of Covid-19 vaccines and Covid-19 treatments to ensure sufficient supply of medicines to meet the people's needs for disease prevention and treatment.

In addition, the Ministry of Health has issued directives to pharmaceutical businesses and medical examination and treatment facilities to carry out procurement and forecasting to ensure sufficient medicine for treatment needs. This is especially important during holidays, Tet (Lunar New Year), and transitional seasons (winter-spring, spring-summer, etc.), which are times when the risk of an increase in disease cases is high.

The Ministry of Health assesses that the above measures can temporarily address the localized drug shortage. However, to thoroughly and sustainably resolve issues related to ensuring drug supply, policies need to be adjusted to suit practical realities, with amending the Law on Pharmaceuticals being a top priority solution.

Some provisions in the amended Law on Pharmaceuticals aimed at addressing this issue include: Reorganizing the system of pharmaceutical business establishments, adding several new types of business and business methods;

Simplify administrative procedures in issuing drug registration certificates and drug import licenses.

This will enhance people's access to quality, safe, and effective medicines, while simultaneously reducing drug costs and, consequently, lowering treatment expenses for the population.

It is expected that in the coming period, after the amended Law on Pharmaceuticals is promulgated, the Ministry of Health will submit to the Government a Decree providing detailed guidance on the amended Law on Pharmaceuticals and related Circulars to concretize the policies in the amended Law on Pharmaceuticals in order to strengthen the assurance of the supply of quality medicines and limit the shortage of medicines as in the recent period .

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/tang-kha-nang-tiep-can-thuoc-chat-luong-giam-gia-thanh-thuoc-a668586.html