Buying drugs in the public system more expensive than real prices

This is because some pharmaceutical companies have created monopolies in the drug market.

This is the conclusion in the report “The range of pharmaceutical abuses ] drug acquisitions of multiple essential list more expensive than the price on the market” performed by the Columbus Institute. This report highlights millions of misappropriations with the purchase of drugs on the essential list and extensive material from the Health Ministry in 2016.

Also, the conclusion in this report has been found that in the past two years the tenders of the Health Ministry have been won mainly by two companies. The same companies, according to the report, have tendered and sold drugs in early MSH. But especially in the past two years, the same companies have reportedly raised the price without reasoning.

The report further says it has raised doubts that with the help of state institutions for over 100 products, some companies have limited competition in drug prosecution. According to the report, this is also evidenced by the drop in tenders for supply of products to the essential list.

The author of this report, Saranda Ramaj, announced that the work on this report was started a year ago, but she says she did not believe 200 products that had increased the price.

There are some data that for a year Columbus Institute has managed to find. In fact, I was correct when we started this research in the Koha Ditore Awards Change, and then I took over from Columbus Institute to do a deeper research. But I didn't believe 200 products would come out because it's a massive misuse. The biggest disappointment has been because we have had public reports and as the Institute, but also as the Daystar and like other media and the State Prosecutor has not yet launched an investigation into the case. The Competition Authority has launched an investigation, but unfortunately it is only for one product and I hope that from the conference watching it will be the motive to extend the investigation because they have legal rights”, Ramaj said.

Although it was said that responsible institutions have taken no measures, present to hear the report's data were also Health Minister Ismajli Bridges, State Prosecutor Besim Kelmendi, Anti-corruption Agency Chief Shaip Havolli and Competition Agency Chief Valon Prestreshi.

The Minister of Health, Ismajli Bridge, said that buying drugs more expensive than on the market is a reality that has occurred, but according to him must face this fact.

The reality of the more expensive-paid drugs than in the market is the reality that has occurred in Kosovo, so we can't escape and can't escape, must face it. If we don't, we don't. I had two contracts which weren't processed in writing and which were at much higher prices and both were won in O. The EMS means O The EP has allowed the cancellation of those two contracts. But, which has asked for a very big inter-institutional job, which I think should not follow an approach to such a big interilateral commitment to a contract. So we have to create a system that allows us to buy drugs a little faster, because this is where obstacles occur or I call it an emergency to buy drugs and create the possibility of abuse. Because, you come into a situation where there's no medicine in the hospital and the research unit says buys the bar, and in the next «I'm not wanting to reason on what price she's made, because she needs to do a market analysis. However, we have to find a cheaper system and for that we are working on finding a system that is cheaper and faster”, he said.

Minister Ishmael said that if the drug purchase is slow it will always create potential for abuse, as according to him it comes into a situation when you buy it.

Moreover, he said legislation regulating this issue has never been, while he added that they are now at the conclusion of administrative instruction that regulates the issue of drug prices.

“Blyen 300, 500 products, articles, it means they're spent more quickly you can't afford to always go out and do market research, if you don't have a legislative basis when the highest offer comes up you drop it. At the moment there is no legislative basis that you drop an offer, it comes at a price higher than the market, it's the only bidder, the hospital's research unit looking for it, you know it's 12 euros it comes with 27 euros it's the only bidder. And, if we don't have a base with which to fight this, we have to fight this problem. It's not important that a minister's will, if we don't make institutional mechanisms that remain, the minister comes out a new minister if he has a base he doesn't need to fear or sign a contract or not sign”, Minister Ishmael said.

In this case, Minister Ismajli indicated that once he receives the minister's mandate, this year's contracts have been initiated by only one year, which, according to him, is that in case of error or any release, there is a possibility of correction within five or six months.

The report in addition to the findings provided several recommendations, one of which is addressing the inherited contracts of drugs in the investigative organs, to create an inter-institution body to avoid the damage to contracts that have been signed for a three - year period. It is also recommended that the MSH make the drug supply from the essential list, creating a patient's registration system and electronic evidence.

Aside from the presentation of the report's printed version, the documentary “has also appeared, the document for pharmaceutical abuses” carried out by the Columbus Institute and supported by the KFOS Kosovar Foundation for Open Society.