The Minister of Health, Mikheil Sarjveladze, commented on the launch of market monitoring by the Competition and Consumer Protection Agency (GCCA), which aims to assess competition in Georgia’s medical services sector. He emphasized that the state’s main priority is protecting patients’ rights.
“We would like to see thorough attention paid to the correctness of business operations in certain areas. There have been some irresponsible statements from individual businesses and associations, suggesting that, in some cases, dishonest practices are used to increase profits or cover certain expenses. Naturally, such claims have prompted the Competition Agency to investigate,” Sarjveladze said.
He added that the study may uncover noteworthy circumstances in the sector.
“Recently, the Competition Agency completed monitoring related to the import of certain pharmaceuticals, and completely abnormal practices were identified. I hope similar issues will not arise in other sectors, but if they do, the state will be uncompromising in its stance toward practices that do not prioritize the patient’s interests. Economic gain is acceptable only if it does not conflict with the patient’s welfare,” the minister stated.
The monitoring aims to ensure that the medical services market operates fairly, with patients’ rights and safety as the top priority.
