On Tuesday, November 3, Russia simplified the procedure for working with the drug movement monitoring system.

The corresponding decree was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

“Given the increased demand for medicines and the epidemiological situation, the simplified regime will function until all participants in the industry are fully prepared,” the Cabinet of Ministers said in a statement.

“Pharmacies and medical institutions can withdraw drugs from circulation through cash desks and disposal registrars immediately after notifying the system about the drugs received by them,” the document says.

At the same time, it is noted that there is no need to wait for confirmation from the system that the information on acceptance has been successfully registered.

In addition, by July 1, 2021, additional simplified mechanisms for "reverse acceptance of drugs" are introduced for their import and circulation within the country.

Such measures will increase the speed of drug transactions for all participants and reduce dependence on delays from drug suppliers, the Cabinet noted.

In addition, until February 1, 2021, manufacturers will be required to apply codes to drugs, and pharmacies will be required to scan them at the checkout.

At the same time, all operations on the movement of goods (within the country and during import) are facilitated.

“In all cases, the system will complete the chain of drugs movement and analyze the supplied data.

This will ensure control over the safety and legality of drugs.

The government decree applies to all actions with medicines from July 1, 2020.

The changes apply to all drugs, with the exception of drugs from category 12 high-cost nosologies, ”the government explained.

The Federation Council stressed that the new measures will simplify the circulation of drugs during a pandemic.

“Simplified, transferred to the declarative mode, thus, if a drug is declared in the system, it can be sold ... This is the right decision.

Otherwise, we will face unmanageable flows of receipts, warehouses and sales.

During a pandemic, it is necessary to speed up the process of getting medicines into pharmacies, and therefore to people, ”said Valery Ryazansky, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy, in an interview with RT.

In turn, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma health protection committee Fedot Tumusov called the government's decision justified.

“We must pass a legislative act at the level of the State Duma in order to support the decisions made by the government.

But at the same time, indicate that the mechanism should be different, "- explained the interlocutor of RT.

As a reminder, since July 1, Russia has compulsory labeling of all drugs.

The purpose of the introduction of this system is to trace each package of a medicine from the moment of production or import to Russia to the sale to the end customer.

Meanwhile, on October 24, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, announced the transfer of the system to a notification mode due to unresolved problems associated with the insufficient technical readiness of distributors and a number of pharmacy organizations to work with labeled drugs.

  • RIA News

  • © Dmitry Astakhov

In addition, Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree on the creation of the Federal Center for Planning and Organization of Medicinal Provision of Citizens.

The Ministry of Health was instructed to register the institution and approve its charter within a month.

As explained in the press service of the government, the Center will purchase medicines under federal programs.

In particular, vaccines included in the national immunization schedule, drugs for the treatment of patients with orphan and oncological diseases, HIV and tuberculosis.

“The organization will also monitor the procurement of medicines and forecast the needs for medicines in the regions.

This will help prevent possible interruptions in the supply of drugs and form the necessary reserve in advance, ”the statement says.

The day before, Mikhail Mishustin, during a meeting with his deputies, called the situation in which in a number of regions of the Russian Federation some medicines from the list of vital and most important medicines are absent.

“Recently, some regions have faced the fact that there is a list of vital and essential drugs, but there are no separate drugs from it in pharmacies.

Such a situation is unacceptable, ”he said.

According to Mishustin, the price of the most popular drugs should not be overstated.

“But the manufacturer cannot work at a loss either.

The current mechanism for re-registering prices does not allow their indexation.

As a result, production stops, supplies stop.

It is important to ensure a balanced approach.

For this, we are introducing a new procedure for re-registering prices for drugs from the list of vital and important drugs, ”he said.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service will ensure that when the price of a drug is reduced abroad, its cost in Russia will also fall.

  • RIA News

  • © Konstantin Mikhalchevsky

In addition, Mikhail Mishustin announced the extension of the simplified registration procedure for medical devices and drugs used in the treatment of patients with coronavirus until January 1, 2022. 

“We must do everything to ensure that the sick are provided with everything necessary,” the Prime Minister noted.