(VOVworld) – On Friday, National Assembly deputies discussed revised Pharmaceutical Law, focusing on regulations on management of medicine prices and supplementary food.
A deputy from Ho Chi Minh city Pham Khanh Phong Lan said measures to control medicine prices should be added to the Law. She acknowledged price difference in some kinds of medicine due to exclusive rights to raise prices, multiple layers of intermediaries between importers and retailers, and misconducts in prescription: “I propose to supplement regulations to limit multiple layers of intermediaries. Hospitals should work out medicine prices based on the price frame negotiated with the Ministry of Health and medical insurance agency. It is essential to build synchronous treatment methods, prevent drug abuse and enhance the role of pharmacy council to deal with this issue”.
While discussing management of supplementaries and cosmetics, deputy Do Van Ve from Thai Binh province, said supplementaries are over advertised and not strictly controlled by the laws. They are available at pharmacist’s and easily mistaken with medicine. He asked for more regulations to control supplementary food to the Food Safety Law.
Deputies also made suggestions on granting pharmaceutical practice certificates and medicine circulation.