Dispute over pricing in drugs sector settled

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

The head of Turkey’s Social Security Institution says the body was concerned that the patients might not be able to find some vital drugs at the pharmacies. DAILY NEWS photo, Hasan ALTINIŞIK

The head of Turkey’s Social Security Institution says the body was concerned patientgeneral manager might not be able to find some vital drugs at pharmacies.

The pricing dispute between the government and drug manufacturers was resolved, according to the country’s Social Security Institution (SGK).

The SGK has pulled back the much debated price cut on 120 vital drug types and said the Health Ministry will also increase the prices of 100 other drugs, according to Murat Karaşen, general manager of the body.

The ministry increased a subsidy on drugs from 4 percent to 41 percent in November, and both producers and drugstores began to sell their stocks at cheaper prices. 

Karaşen said in an interview over the weekend the dispute between pharmacists, drug manufacturers and the institution has been finally resolved with the regulation.

“We were concerned that the patients might not be able to find the vital drug out in the pharmacies,” Karaşen said. “We hope there would not be similar disputes in the future.” 

Previously, many companies had allegedly started stockpiling hundreds of drugs in a bid to defend themselves, according to media reports. 

Karaşen said financial loss of the pharmacists from stocked drugs due to changes in the price cut regulation would be compensated by the institution. “So far, the time of the compensations has not been decided,” he said.