State-owned The Duma adopted in the first reading a bill aimed at improving the provision of medicines to citizens.
Deputy Alfiya Kogogina, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, Innovative Development and Entrepreneurship, commented: "This initiative is designed to eliminate the possibility of unjustifiably inflating drug prices, limit the monopoly of pharmacy chains, create conditions for supporting domestic manufacturers, and provide residents of remote and hard -to-reach regions of Russia with the necessary drugs. The bill, included by our faction in the priority list, will oblige pharmacies to inform customers about the availability of cheap analogues of the necessary drugs. In addition, the introduction of the concept of a "mobile pharmacy point" will allow their activities, and it will be easier for villagers to purchase medicines."
The draft law establishes the obligation of pharmacy organizations to provide customers with accessible information about the availability and minimum price of medicines under one international nonproprietary name.
It is also proposed to limit the possibility of non-operating income for pharmacy and wholesale organizations and to set a maximum fee for product promotion services at 5 percent.