00:00Earlier this week, Suchit told a parliamentary committee that just a small number of powerful players
00:06has effectively taken hold of the country's pharmacy sector, controlling prices and a distribution.
00:13In response, Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissasa has since condemned the situation as shameful,
00:21promising to crack down on it and restore real competition.
00:24Suchit tells the Morning Edition that this is a call the sector has raised time and time again,
00:31but their plight fell on deaf ears.
00:35Basically, we have been stymied by the Fair Trade Commission.
00:41We have been stymied in many instances by the previous administration in the Ministry of Health,
00:47Chemistry, Food and Drug, as Mr. Lanshan indicated there.
00:50He indicated that, you know, we need to have a bit of relaxation,
00:55but I want it to be fully understood by the Chemistry, Food and Drug.
00:59While we want a relaxed environment, we also want to have an environment which encourages foreign investment.
01:07Suchit says, the goal is to create a system that gives international manufacturers,
01:12both big brand name companies and reputable generic producers,
01:17the confidence to enter the local market with their products.
01:22He explains this would allow pharmacies to broaden the range of medication available to the public,
01:29adding that right now, the regulatory climate simply isn't favorable enough to attract that kind of investment.
01:38Suchit also points out that generic drugs are often just as effective
01:42as their brand name counterparts, yet patients are frequently prescribed the more expensive brands,
01:48leaving many of them unable to afford the treatment they need.
01:52Branded products generally tend to be the higher priced products,
01:56and the generic options are there.
01:58But we have very limited generic options,
02:01and the generic options now available in this country are controlled by the minority.
02:06He is calling on Chemistry, Food and Drug to start approving more generic medication for private pharmacies,
02:14so patients can actually access them.
02:17Suchit stresses.
02:19They're not asking for lower quality drugs.
02:21They're asking for fair, balanced pricing that levels the playing field.
02:26We are not asking for the easing up in the stringent regulations as regards the quality of the medications.
02:37We are not asking for substandard products to be brought in.
02:40We are asking for quality products to be brought in.
02:42This would literally make a serious dent and break in the monopoly by the drug companies
02:50that are carrying the international pharma brands,
02:53and it will give the patient, as he indicated, cheaper pricing to have better compliance in their medication.
02:59Meanwhile, the Association's Vice President, Steve Lalchan, tells the Morning Edition
03:04he hopes the government will finally bring real change to the monopoly in the pharmacy sector.
03:11He also points out that Chemistry, Food and Drug approves generic medication for government institutions
03:17like health centres, but not for private pharmacies, a situation he says is unfair.
03:24We do welcome the Prime Minister's comments.
03:28We hope that the government, that is, will look closely at what is needed and not do something superficial.
03:37We hope that they will change the laws, and they will also change the laws in a way that protects mostly the public
03:45from being the victims of high prices, nepotism, monopoly, or whatever word can be used
03:52to describe how the small man battles from a day-to-day in his life.
03:59Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
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