Regulation, Reimbursement Notes From Turkey
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
A PharmAsia News update shows Turkey’s Ministry of Health is working on new procedures to ease procurement of unavailable drugs from abroad. As well, Hacettepe University will be producing domestic morphine and vaccine products in Turkey and SGK added 12 drugs to the reimbursement list among other developments.
ISTANBUL - Turkey is working to cut red tape on drug imports, put a floor on pricing for certain branded drugs regularly supplied from abroad, and get a research university to produce a hepatitis B vaccine and manufacture morphine at lower costs as the country struggles to trim a growing reimbursement budget (Also see "Turkey Aims To Bargain With Drug Firms To Ease Costs And Shortages" - Scrip, 8 Jul, 2014.).
For the previous version, see: (Also see "Regulation, Reimbursement Notes From Turkey" - Scrip, 1 Jul, 2014.).
Ministry Of Health Eases Rules To Import Hard To Find Drugs
Turkey’s Ministry of Health plans to cut paperwork and other hurdles to ease the import of drugs that are difficult to find in the market, according to the Turkish Institution of Drugs. The process now requires medical reports and prescriptions from health care centers to apply to the Turkish Pharmacists’ Union (TEB), which is the only authorized association at the moment allowed to buy drugs from abroad for individual patients. However, starting next year, doctors will fill in a form for patients and send it directly to the government body that will immediately relay it to an authorized procurer. Then the drug will be imported and delivered to the patient. The Ministry of Health also aims make the procurement of drugs that are unlicensed in Turkey easier by lining up other associations and companies outside of the TEB to fill the role. (Click here for more - Turkish language)
Hacettepe University To Produce Hep B Vaccine, Morphine
Hacettepe University, a leading university in Turkey with medicine and pharmacy faculties in Ankara, announced that it plans to make a hepatitis B vaccine and morphine within three years. According to university officials, the morphine will be provided for cancer patients, who have to use expensive imported painkillers at the moment, as a cheap domestic alternative. All stages of production, including formulation, filling and packaging will take place in Turkey. The products will be branded with the name of the university. (Click here for more - Turkish language)
New Pricing Regulation For Certain Branded Drugs
The Ministry of Health will put a floor for the prices of certain drugs to make sure they remain attractive to import. Lower prices will not be reflected in company sale prices to warehouses until they reach the limit of 80% of the reference prices. Then it will be possible to price them at 100% of the reference price. The regulation is particularly aimed to prevent the prices of 20-year-old brands of penicillin, painkillers and some other cheap basic drugs from going too low, especially if they do not have generic equivalents (Also see "INTERVIEW: Policy Overhaul Needed Says Turkish Generics Association" - Scrip, 7 May, 2014.). The policy is expected to prod domestic production. The ministry will also be authorized to price anti-allergens, orphan drugs, traditional herbal products, serums, non-reimbursed drugs and other products that are critically important for public health, without being limited by the existing pricing regulations. (Click here for more - Turkish language).
A Dozen Generics Added To Reimbursement List
The Social Security Institution of Turkey (SGK) added 12 generics to the reimbursement list with two notices dated July 9 and July 16. The drugs added with the notice on July 9 are Buslera 60 mg (busulfan) by BIEM, Diaklazid 30 mg (gliclazide) by TERRA. On July 16, these following products were added: Aknefloks Creme (nadifloxacin) by BERKO; E.S. Enema Medical Laxative 210 ml LAVMAN (sodium dihydrogene phosphate + disodium hydrogen phosphate) by Haver İlaç; E.S. Enema Medical Laxative 67,5 ml LAVMAN (sodium phosphate) by Haver İlaç; Fleximat (etofenamate) by RDC İlaç; Oraldin Sol 10 ml (salicylic acid) by Oro İlaçları; Ostriol (vitamin D3) by Vem İlaç; Ovirproxil 245 mg (tenofovir disoproxil) by DEVA; Promin 500 (protamine) by Vem İlaç; Pronat Oral Suspension by Vem İlaç; Zinclomin Syrup (zinc sulphate) by BIKAR. (Click here for more - Turkish language).