On May 15, 2025, a group of Majilis deputies sent a parliamentary inquiry to the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ermek Bedelbayuly Kosherbayev. The document raises the issue of the critically low share of domestic drugs in the country's pharmaceutical market.
According to the data provided in the request, 80% of medicines in Kazakhstan are currently imported. This dependence creates significant risks for the healthcare system, especially in the context of global crises, logistics disruptions and currency instability.
In the Address of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in 2021, an order was voiced to increase the share of domestic medicines and medical products to 50% by 2025. However, according to the Bureau of National Statistics, in 2023 this figure was only 14.5%, and according to forecasts of the Association "PharmMedIndustry of Kazakhstan", by the end of 2024 it may decrease to 13%.
The parliamentary faction of the AMANAT party, as part of the implementation of its election program, set the goal of achieving a share of 33% in 2023 and 35% in 2024. However, the actual results are significantly behind these plans.
In the request, the deputies point to a number of systemic reasons, including limited production capacity, high dependence on imported raw materials, lack of funding for scientific research and difficulties in registering new drugs. It is also noted that only 26 of the country's 43 pharmaceutical companies comply with international GMP standards.
For comparison, in Russia the share of domestic drugs, thanks to the import substitution program, reached 64%, and in Belarus – 55%.
The parliamentarians emphasize the need to review approaches to the development of the pharmaceutical industry, adopt systemic support measures and ensure the implementation of the President's instructions. In particular, they requested detailed information from the government on the progress of fulfilling the indicators for increasing the share of domestic drugs on the market.
The appeal was signed by Mazhilis deputies:
D.E. Isabekov, Zh. Amantayuly, N.T. Baytilesov, E.A. Beisenbaev,
M.Z. Eskendirov, K.Zh. Isa, B.B. Kerimbek, R.S. Kozhasbaev,
T.B. Kyrykbaev and G.A. Nurym.
Источник: Казахстанский Фармацевтический Вестник, pharmnews.kz
According to the data provided in the request, 80% of medicines in Kazakhstan are currently imported. This dependence creates significant risks for the healthcare system, especially in the context of global crises, logistics disruptions and currency instability.
In the Address of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in 2021, an order was voiced to increase the share of domestic medicines and medical products to 50% by 2025. However, according to the Bureau of National Statistics, in 2023 this figure was only 14.5%, and according to forecasts of the Association "PharmMedIndustry of Kazakhstan", by the end of 2024 it may decrease to 13%.
The parliamentary faction of the AMANAT party, as part of the implementation of its election program, set the goal of achieving a share of 33% in 2023 and 35% in 2024. However, the actual results are significantly behind these plans.
In the request, the deputies point to a number of systemic reasons, including limited production capacity, high dependence on imported raw materials, lack of funding for scientific research and difficulties in registering new drugs. It is also noted that only 26 of the country's 43 pharmaceutical companies comply with international GMP standards.
For comparison, in Russia the share of domestic drugs, thanks to the import substitution program, reached 64%, and in Belarus – 55%.
The parliamentarians emphasize the need to review approaches to the development of the pharmaceutical industry, adopt systemic support measures and ensure the implementation of the President's instructions. In particular, they requested detailed information from the government on the progress of fulfilling the indicators for increasing the share of domestic drugs on the market.
The appeal was signed by Mazhilis deputies:
D.E. Isabekov, Zh. Amantayuly, N.T. Baytilesov, E.A. Beisenbaev,
M.Z. Eskendirov, K.Zh. Isa, B.B. Kerimbek, R.S. Kozhasbaev,
T.B. Kyrykbaev and G.A. Nurym.
Источник: Казахстанский Фармацевтический Вестник, pharmnews.kz
