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Voxpress:

Morbidity increases pharmaceutical imports in 2023, but also the consumption of cheaper medicines

2024-03-01 11:40:43Biznes SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Morbidity increases pharmaceutical imports in 2023, but also the consumption of

Pharmaceutical import volumes saw rapid growth last year by around 14%, following a slight decline following the pandemic.

The data of INSTAT refers that last year 6,753 tons of medicines were imported from 5,917 tons in 2022, but a trend of strong increase in imports from Turkey is seen.

Last year, 1203 tons of pharmaceutical products were imported from this country, which accounted for 17 percent of the total imports of these products. Before the pandemic in 2019, imports from Turkey accounted for only 8% of total imports of pharmaceutical products (see chart below).

Pharmaceutical market experts claim that low reimbursement funds have led the consumption of drugs to cheap alternatives that come mainly from Turkey, while the representative offices of multinational companies have withdrawn from Albania. From 13 such that were a few years ago, now there are only 3 of them.

In 2023, our country imported 26.8 billion lek (255.7 million euro) of pharmaceutical products, but only about 12 billion lek or 44% were covered by the reimbursement fund made available by the Albanian government.

More detailed data show that Albanians have low access to the main drugs that treat cardiovascular diseases, oncology, autoimmune, nervous, etc. Data from the Albanian Association of Pharmaceutical Representatives show that new drugs that have a high sales trend in the European and regional markets have not yet entered the Albanian market.

They cost a lot and are not affordable for patients, as the state does not reimburse them. For example, in Albania, such as Apixaban, Pembrolizumab, which treat autoimmune diseases, are not present.

The Albanian market is under development, where traditional generic and off-patent drugs represent 76%, while specialized hospital treatment with innovative therapies only 24%.

Representatives of the pharmaceutical market say that the needs of the population are much higher than the current supplies. But the global experience has shown that public funding and its right orientation moves health systems forward and significantly improves health services for the population.

From 2019 to 2024, the budget of FSDKSH (the structure that finances public health services) has increased by about 40%, while the item of reimbursement of medications only 20%, according to official data.

In 2019, the reimbursement fund accounted for 24% of the total expenses of FSKDSH, while in 2024 only 20.6%.


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