Uzbekistan to tighten Drug Controls

Uzbekistan's president Islam Karmov has issued a decree on the sale of medicines which increases the penalties for violation of state norms and aims to improve medical supplies. Licenses will be issued by the Ministry of Health for the sale of medicines, and anyone selling them without a license will be investigated. The Interior Ministry will take "decisive measures" to prevent the sale of medicines in markets.

Heads of "pharmaceutical outlets" will be held personally responsible for the observance of procedures. The Ministries of Health and Finance and the state medicines body will ensure the listing of important and limited-supply drugs, which will be sold at fixed retail prices. Other drugs will have no price restrictions.

Local authorities are to "find the resources," including foreign currency, to buy medical supplies and distribute them. Central government is meanwhile drawing up measures to improve the supply and distribution of medicines.