Is the drug shortage due to delays in centralized bidding?

SGGPO October 27, 2023 7:46 PM

On the afternoon of October 27th, the Ministry of Health provided information to the press following reports that many medical facilities nationwide are currently experiencing drug shortages, partly due to delays in the results of centralized bidding and price negotiations.

Clarifying the information reflected above, Mr. Le Thanh Dung, Director of the National Drug Procurement Center, Ministry of Health, stated that the National Drug Procurement Center is responsible for conducting centralized national bidding for generic drugs in groups 1 and 2 of 32 active ingredients on the drug bidding list. Regarding the national centralized bidding, the majority (88/106 drugs) have had results since August 3, 2022, and are effective from September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2024.

"Thus, the results have been implemented for over a year, and there is still nearly a year left to complete. Furthermore, the center only organizes bidding for generic drugs in groups 1 and 2 of 32 active ingredients out of a total of 1,226 active ingredients in the drug bidding list. Therefore, the majority of the demand for drugs for treatment is met by local centralized procurement units or by healthcare facilities organizing their own bidding," Mr. Le Thanh Dung shared.

Many public healthcare facilities are experiencing shortages of certain medications.

Regarding the price-negotiated drugs, the results of the bidding for 64 original branded drugs were announced in 4 phases, with the framework agreement effective from November 15, 2022 to November 14, 2024, and from April 17, 2023 to April 16, 2025. However, price negotiation is a form of bidding with a complex process and many difficulties, and there are no regulations on the time frame for announcing the results.

At the same time, the number of drugs subject to price negotiation is very large, comprising 701 drugs. Therefore, the Center has developed a plan and roadmap that is appropriate to the time constraints of the Price Negotiation Council and the number of personnel involved in price negotiation (which has increased from 4 drugs in 2021 to 64 drugs for one negotiation round in 2022).

"While awaiting the announcement of the results of the national centralized bidding and price negotiations, healthcare facilities are allowed to conduct bidding to ensure the supply of medicines for treatment needs as regulated by the Ministry of Health. The Center always issues written notices on the progress of centralized procurement and requests healthcare facilities to proactively purchase medicines to serve medical examination and treatment," Mr. Le Thanh Dung emphasized.

The Ministry of Health has urged hospitals and localities to be more proactive in the procurement and bidding process for medicines.

Regarding the National Drug Procurement Center's future implementation plan, Mr. Le Thanh Dung stated that for the national-level centralized bidding process for 50 drugs on the centralized bidding list, the center is currently reviewing the list to continue selecting contractors to supply drugs to healthcare facilities. The expected timeframe for drug supply to facilities is from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2026.

Regarding price negotiations for branded drugs, the center is finalizing a plan for selecting contractors for 86 drugs, which is expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Health for approval in November 2023. Simultaneously, the center plans to compile the nationwide demand from healthcare facilities for 64 branded drugs whose framework agreements will expire at the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/thieu-thuoc-co-phai-do-dau-thau-tap-trung-cham-tre-post711667.html