Kazakhstan begins new stage of drug price deregulation
On December 29, 2022, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, together with the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition of the Republic of Kazakhstan, approved the Roadmap for the Development of Competition in the Healthcare Sector, which provides for a phased abandonment of price regulation of medicines in the wholesale and retail markets, reports the Department of the Committee for Medical and Pharmaceutical Control of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the city of Astana.
According to the list approved by the Order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated November 5, 2024 No. 91 "On Amending the Order of the Acting Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated December 1, 2022 No. ҚР ДСМ-150 "On Approval of the List of Medicines Subject to Price Regulation for Wholesale and Retail Sales", 6,060 medicines are subject to price regulation.
In 2023, 302 over-the-counter drugs were released that have more than 3 analogues and more than 3 manufacturers.
In 2024, as part of the transition to the second stage of deregulation, the list of drugs subject to price regulation for wholesale and retail sales was reduced from 7,141 to 6,060 items.
Let us recall the stages of price deregulation
At stage 1 – 2022–2023 – 2,551 medicinal products (MP). These are homeopathic remedies, dietary supplements, vitamins and medicinal products aimed at treating simple diseases. They are all over-the-counter and available for sale.
Stage 2 – 2023–2025 – prescription drugs and antibiotics.
At stage 3 – 2025–2026 – the remaining drugs, with the exception of those that will remain under state regulation.