Volodymyr Groysman: Government will punish severely for hikes in prices for medicines after introduction of reference pricing from 1 January

The Government will severely punish the pharmaceutical companies for price increase after the introduction of reference pricing from 1 January 2017. This was stated by Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman during a meeting of the Government on Wednesday.

The Head of Government reminded that from January 1 there will be launched the system of reference pricing system for medicines against cardiovascular diseases, diabetes type II and asthma, which should ensure lower prices for drugs in these three categories.

"It is crucial to ensure overall control, to monitor in order to maximally implement this decision. We must respond firmly in cases when networks, wholesalers don’t abide by the decision, we must punish them severely. In fact, we will restore justice for the Ukrainian citizens, as to drive up prices for medicines means to demonstrate disrespect to Ukrainians, and for such disrespect to the Ukrainians everyone must be penalized", said Volodymyr Groysman.

In this context, the Prime Minister commissioned Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko and acting Minister of Health of Ukraine Uliana Suprun to provide appropriate monitoring and control of prices for medicines.