Irakli Margvelashvili, the head of the Association of Pharmaceutical Companies Representatives explains the reason why medicines are cheaper in Turkey than in Georgia.
According to him, the Turkish government subsidizes the price of medicines and prohibits exports of subsidized medicines outside the country. However, some companies manage to make exports and that is how the medicines from Turkey are found in Georgia.
"This medicine is for local consumption. There is also a special regulation that prohibits the export of subsidized medicines from Turkey to another country.
These medicines are funded by the state and the local healthcare system, and this’s the reason why medicines are cheaper in Turkey, and not because international companies supply medicines to Turkey 2 or 3 times cheaper than Georgia," said Irakli Margvelashvili.
