Irakli Margvelashvili, head of the Association of Pharmaceutical Company Representatives in Georgia (APCRG), asserts that opportunities for price reductions always exist through continued cooperation.
As Margvelashvili told journalists before the start of a meeting on prices at the Government Administration, the discussion concerns fair prices that should be in place.
According to him, the process of regulating pricing in Georgia has been underway for several years.
“The discussion is probably about improving the process, refining the methodology and extending it to subsequent groups of medicines. This is precisely where we see the potential,” Irakli Margvelashvili noted.
According to Irakli Margvelashvili, approximately 7,000 medicines in Georgia are already on the reference pricing list, which means their prices are regulated through an external reference system.
“It is probably expedient at the first stage to discuss prescription medicines and medicines used to treat chronic diseases. The cost of medicine is crucial; it is essential to focus on developing state programmes that ensure the delivery of medicines to patients. Equally important is establishing fair pricing, one that the state should cover and that individuals must pay out of pocket.
There are no categories of cheap or expensive; instead, there is a fair price that should align with international standards, considering factors such as geographical location, supply routes, and other relevant aspects. This is precisely why meetings are held: to establish the price that will be fair, specifically for Georgia.
The price of medicine in a pharmacy depends largely on how the system is structured. For instance, in European countries, medicine prices may be high or low, but what truly matters is how they are reimbursed by insurance and the state. Ultimately, what matters most to each of us is the amount we personally pay for medicine. What is crucial is the actual expenditure of each citizen on these medicines. Our membership consists of 21 companies. We have achieved significant price reductions over the past three years,” Irakli Margvelashvili stated.