MINSK, 25 May (BelTA) – The common market of medications cannot de facto start working in the Eurasian Economic Union. The statement was made by Belarusian Deputy Healthcare Minister Valery Shevchuk while talking to members of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus on 25 May, BelTA has learned.
The official said: “De jure the market works but de facto it doesn't. All the relevant documents have been adopted and ratified in the five countries. But 22 bylaws are needed for these high-level agreements to start working.”
These documents have been worked out and approved. “However, in February 2016 Russia suggested replacing the terms ‘original medication' and ‘generic medication' with the term ‘mutually replaceable medications'. Russia wanted the change due to difficulties with tenders inside the country,” said the Belarusian Deputy Healthcare Minister.
However, the other Eurasian Economic Union member states spoke against the change and the documents were not adopted in the end. A working group has been set up to find a compromise. “We hope that the common market of medications will start working this year,” said Valery Shevchuk.
