Ukraine adopts Resolution "on postponement of the Insulin Pilot Project"

Last week, the Ukraine Cabinet of Ministers (CMU) put off the beginning of price declaration on insulin till January 1, 2015, by adopting the Resolution on postponement of the Insulin Pilot Project and cancellation of CMU Res-ons № 743 and No 952.

The said Resolution aims to ensure about 130 thousand people with quality imported insulin and emphasize that reimbursement is the most effective mechanism of budgetary funds, including tenders. The introduction of reimbursement system is planned for January 1, 2015. Thus, patients will choose themselves which insulin to buy.

Last December, Ukraine’s Ministry of Health proposed changes to a planned insulin reference prices project, making them available for public consultation. The proposal was the result of a meeting between Health Minister Raisa Boghatyrieva and representatives of domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies on December 12, 2013.

Details of proposals

The first proposal, according to the PMR market research agency, was to extend the project to all insulin preparations registered in Ukraine. According to the current wording of the regulation, the project applies to insulin forms recorded on the project’s register.

The second change applies to the list of countries that will serve for reference in decisions regarding pricing. According to the new proposal, prices will be set based on pricing in Bulgaria, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. If a given preparation is not sold there then Latvia, Hungary and Serbia will be taken into account. The present regulation is using Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland as reference markets.

The insulin price regulation project was introduced by the government in an August 2013 decision. It was launched on 1 December 2013, with the pricing system due to come into force February 1, 2014.