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Medicine Price Fall..? Claims Disputed by the Pharmaceutical Association
The president of the Pharmaceutical Association of Mauritius, Ashwin Dookun, disputed the claim that 80% of medication prices have decreased since the implementation of the Regressive Mark-up system in July 2023. This is in contrast to the view of the Minister of Commerce, Dorine Chukowry, who has stated that the set system has led to a decrease in medication prices.
During a private notice question (PNQ) on measures to control the rise in medicine prices, Chukowry had stated that more than 80% of medicines have seen a price drop compared to the old markup mechanism used for over four decades.
However, Dookun, who appeared on the “Au cœur de l’info” program hosted by Prem Sewpaul Radio Plus, insisted that this budgetary measure has been a “total flop”.
He claimed that the prices of medicines have not decreased, and that some products have actually seen an increase in price.
“We knew it was a bluff from the moment it was announced in 2022,” Dookun said. “Saying that 80% of medicines have seen a price drop with this measure in effect since July 2023 is a pure lie. Medicines, like other consumer products, have seen their prices increase.”
Dookun lamented that the prices of pharmaceutical products are being used as political arguments.
“It’s not just about medicine prices that have increased. We feel that the issue is being used by both the government and opposition for political purposes. Enough is enough!”
Importation Parallel as a Solution
Siddick Khodabaccus, President of small and medium importers, proposed importation parallel as a solution to the rise in medicine prices.
He suggested that certain medicines could be made available at up to 40% cheaper than current prices. This would promote competition and benefit patients.
“Every citizen has the right to demand an original product, and they can do so without breaking the bank,” Khodabaccus said.
He noted that implementation of parallel importation in many countries has led to a decrease in prices.
However, he cautioned that the introduction of parallel importation should be done carefully. “I’m not saying it’s impossible, but we need to be careful not to create a marketplace,” he warned.
Regressive Mark-Up Not Effective
Like Dookun, Khodabaccus also disputed the effectiveness of the Regressive Mark-Up mechanism in reducing medicine prices. “Because, at the outset, medicine prices have increased,” he said.
Surfacturation Claims Rebutted
Sadek Vawda, pharmacist and director of Unicorn, rebutted allegations made by opposition leader Shakeel Mohamed that importers were overpricing as a means to circumvent the Regressive Mark-Up mechanism.
According to Vawda, it would be easy to verify through “returns” submitted to the Ministry of Commerce whether importers had indeed inflated prices.
He cited an example where a medicine previously imported at $1.2 per unit was still being sold at the same price today, despite the devaluation of the Mauritian rupee against major currencies.
Vawda suggested that any price reduction resulting from the Regressive Mark-Up mechanism had been offset by the depreciation of the rupee.
Source: Defi Media
