The Ministry of Health has started the process of purchasing innovative oncology medicines through direct procurement. Through this mechanism, the state will procure expensive medicines at a significantly lower price and will cover full needs of oncology patients.

The agreement between the Ministry of Health of Georgia and pharmaceutical company “Roche” was signed today. According to the document, the state will procure the medicines of different titles from the Swiss company directly, with consideration of the principles of Managed Entry Agreement (MEA).

According to the Minister of Health, Zurab Azarashvili, staring form the next year, the state will fully finance the course of treatment of oncology patients. The direct procurement from the manufacturer provides the state with expanded possibility to finance treatment of more patients and to increase the number of funded medicines, taking into account the treatment course.

The Ministry of Health conducts negotiations with the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, whose manufactured medicines are widely used in Georgia, accruing to the largest share of state expenditures. The change is aimed at ensuring universal access of population to high-quality medicines.

Direct procurement of medicines from the manufacturers represents the part of the reforms of the Ministry of Health. With the purpose of reducing out-pf-pocket payments, by the decision of the Government of Georgia, the Turkish pharmaceutical market was opened, e-prescription system was established, upper limit price was set for more, than 3,200 medicines.

As a result, the prices of medicines decreased by 60% on average.