MUSCAT: The Ministry of Health (MOH) issues clarification about the monopoly in the pharmaceutical market and the difference in prices between the Sultanate and other countries.

The ministry said, “The prices of the mentioned medicines have been reviewed and approved by the Gulf Pricing Committee, which was formed in implementation of the decision of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council in its first session (Riyadh, December 2006). It decided to approve the unification of the import price (cost, insurance and freight CIF) for medicines to the GCC countries in a single currency, which is the US dollar. The price is also approved after comparing with the prices of more than thirty countries whose markets are similar to those of the Gulf states.”

The reason for the low prices of some medicines in some countries is due to the large pharmaceutical companies establishing factories for them in those countries, whether due to the high population density or the increase in sales without incurring other costs such as shipping, insurance, transportation, labor and customs fees, in addition to the support that these companies receive from those countries. This is reflected in lower drug prices.

The ministry also confirmed in a statement on its Twitter account that it pays great attention to ensuring the availability of safe and effective quality medicine at an appropriate price for citizens and residents in the Sultanate. 

The pricing of medicines is among the regulatory procedures carried out by the ministry within the drug supply chain, which begins with the registration of drug manufacturers and ensuring their application of the international principles of drug manufacturing, passing through the registration of drugs after ensuring their compliance with specifications to ensure their quality and effectiveness before marketing them in the Sultanate.

The ministry sets the prices for exporting these medicines to the Sultanate and the prices for selling them to the public in the private sector within specific mechanisms in this regard through direct negotiations with the pharmaceutical manufacturers and not with local agents. The ministry also continuously reviews prices and monitors the application of approved prices by private pharmacies.

The ministry emphasised that it takes all the reports and complaints it receives through the ministry’s call centre or through direct communication regarding the refusal to supply or provide any of the medicines registered with it with great interest and works to monitor any violations of the law regulating the practice of the profession of pharmacy and pharmaceutical institutions.

These communications are investigated and filed Any violations that are monitored to the committee concerned with pharmaceutical violations to take the necessary measures in this regard.