Results of monitoring drug prices from social media were presented in Almaty.
The Almaty Department of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Control Committee of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan presented the results of a drug price monitoring study based on social media comments. The study was conducted using data from the open information resources i-teka.kz and apteka.103.kz.
An analysis of the presented data shows that no significant price increases above the maximum price were recorded for medications subject to state regulation. For all products, actual retail prices remain below the established threshold, with the greatest variance observed for ibuprofen in 50-pack sizes—the difference between the minimum and maximum price reaches over 600 tenge. For fluticasone (Avamys), prices are virtually leveled off and close to the maximum price, which is typical for medications with a narrower niche. Overall, the monitoring results confirm compliance with state regulation requirements for these products, but demonstrate that the final cost to the consumer still depends on the specific pharmacy chain.
The Department reports that, in accordance with the order of the Acting Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated August 27, 2021, No. ҚР ДСМ-94 "On approval of maximum manufacturer prices for trade names of medicines, as well as maximum prices for their retail and wholesale sales," the medicines mentioned in the comments on social networks, namely acetylsalicylic acid, Almagel, Nazivin, Naphthyzine, and Pancreatin, are not included in this order.
In this regard, the specified drugs, except for ibuprofen and fluticasone, are not subject to state regulation of maximum prices.