A round table was held in Astana as part of the joint working group on healthcare and development of the pharmaceutical industry of the Foreign Investors Council under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
During the round table “Ensuring drug safety in Kazakhstan: an analytical approach and new challenges,” issues such as the formation of a list of essential vital drugs, the assessment and development of pharmaceutical production, and patent protection were raised.
— Ensuring drug safety is a huge process. It starts from the moment the drugs arrive in Kazakhstan, registration is carried out. We also have the National Center for Expertise of Medicines to check all drugs. After they pass the examination and it is found that they are absolutely safe for patients, only in this case a registration certificate and permission to sell in Kazakhstan are issued. But even after registration, we do not stop quality control. Doctors or other health workers, when observing side effects in patients, send information through a special mobile application to the National Center, where a re-check is carried out, and the Ministry of Health can raise the issue of registering a particular drug. This is called a "yellow card". Unfortunately, our doctors fill it out very passively, and also passively talk about side effects. In this regard, we want to strengthen pharmacovigilance, — said Vice Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Timur Muratov.
The vice minister also added that there is no acute shortage of drugs. Within the framework of free medical care, procurement is properly ensured. The procurement process for 2026 will begin in the middle of this year.
According to leading expert in pharmacoeconomics, founder of the Polish Society of Pharmacoeconomics, Professor Maciej Niewada, the list of essential medicines pays special attention to drugs that effectively and safely solve the most pressing health problems of the population, which allows for limited resources to be directed to treatment with the greatest effect. Identifying priority drugs will improve the availability of essential treatments in health care systems.
— It is important for Kazakhstan to use approaches based on international practice to form lists of essential medicines, which will allow for efficient resource management and ensure sustainable development of the healthcare system. Such lists help to focus on truly priority drugs — with proven efficacy and safety — and, thus, increase the availability of treatment for the population. This not only reduces the risks of shortages, but also promotes the rational use of budget funds. The introduction of a scientifically based drug policy is an important step towards building a modern, sustainable and patient-oriented healthcare model, — the professor said.
In turn, the director of the Association “Kazakhstan Council of Foreign Investors” Zhanna Baidasheva emphasized the importance of a consolidated approach.
— The focus of our discussion is the development of local production, the formation of effective mechanisms for partnership with domestic companies, and a fair and balanced patent policy. We pay special attention to such tools as health technology analysis (HTA), which allows for more informed decisions in public procurement. Our common goal is to ensure that vital and high-quality drugs are not only available, but also accessible to the population — in any region, at the right time, and at a fair price. Such a dialogue between the state, business, and the expert community is necessary for Kazakhstan's pharmaceutical sector to become more sustainable, innovative, and investment-attractive. We are confident that such discussions shape long-term decisions in the interests of the country, its citizens, and strategic partners, — said Zh. Baidasheva.
Источник: Казахстанский Фармацевтический Вестник, pharmnews.kz
During the round table “Ensuring drug safety in Kazakhstan: an analytical approach and new challenges,” issues such as the formation of a list of essential vital drugs, the assessment and development of pharmaceutical production, and patent protection were raised.
— Ensuring drug safety is a huge process. It starts from the moment the drugs arrive in Kazakhstan, registration is carried out. We also have the National Center for Expertise of Medicines to check all drugs. After they pass the examination and it is found that they are absolutely safe for patients, only in this case a registration certificate and permission to sell in Kazakhstan are issued. But even after registration, we do not stop quality control. Doctors or other health workers, when observing side effects in patients, send information through a special mobile application to the National Center, where a re-check is carried out, and the Ministry of Health can raise the issue of registering a particular drug. This is called a "yellow card". Unfortunately, our doctors fill it out very passively, and also passively talk about side effects. In this regard, we want to strengthen pharmacovigilance, — said Vice Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan Timur Muratov.
The vice minister also added that there is no acute shortage of drugs. Within the framework of free medical care, procurement is properly ensured. The procurement process for 2026 will begin in the middle of this year.
According to leading expert in pharmacoeconomics, founder of the Polish Society of Pharmacoeconomics, Professor Maciej Niewada, the list of essential medicines pays special attention to drugs that effectively and safely solve the most pressing health problems of the population, which allows for limited resources to be directed to treatment with the greatest effect. Identifying priority drugs will improve the availability of essential treatments in health care systems.
— It is important for Kazakhstan to use approaches based on international practice to form lists of essential medicines, which will allow for efficient resource management and ensure sustainable development of the healthcare system. Such lists help to focus on truly priority drugs — with proven efficacy and safety — and, thus, increase the availability of treatment for the population. This not only reduces the risks of shortages, but also promotes the rational use of budget funds. The introduction of a scientifically based drug policy is an important step towards building a modern, sustainable and patient-oriented healthcare model, — the professor said.
In turn, the director of the Association “Kazakhstan Council of Foreign Investors” Zhanna Baidasheva emphasized the importance of a consolidated approach.
— The focus of our discussion is the development of local production, the formation of effective mechanisms for partnership with domestic companies, and a fair and balanced patent policy. We pay special attention to such tools as health technology analysis (HTA), which allows for more informed decisions in public procurement. Our common goal is to ensure that vital and high-quality drugs are not only available, but also accessible to the population — in any region, at the right time, and at a fair price. Such a dialogue between the state, business, and the expert community is necessary for Kazakhstan's pharmaceutical sector to become more sustainable, innovative, and investment-attractive. We are confident that such discussions shape long-term decisions in the interests of the country, its citizens, and strategic partners, — said Zh. Baidasheva.
Источник: Казахстанский Фармацевтический Вестник, pharmnews.kz
