The Ministry of Health does not change its position and regulations for the pharmaceutical sector will be enacted from January 1. According to the new regulations, pharmaceutical products in Georgia will be produced only in accordance with the international standard of GMP.
"GMP standard will not be delayed, because these standards are very important for the health of our population. I can provide you with illustrated versions of all the institutions that request deferral of the GMP standard. I think it is a shame to have such enterprises in Georgia. It is a crime to sell such medicines”, Ekaterine Tikaradze declares.
The pharmaceutical sector is intensively demanding delay of the regulation since last year. They addressed the Prime Minister, the Parliament, the Ministry of Health. Among them, the issue has been raised several times by the EU-Georgia Business Council, but the government has not yet changed its decision.
According to the EU-Georgia Business Council, there are about 70 pharmaceutical companies on the market, of which 10 are already ready to move gradually to a new standard. EUGBC Executive Director says that Ekaterine Tikaradze's statement is completely unexpected and inconsistent with other agencies.
"About 10 companies are asking the Ministry of Health to agree on a plan to move to a new standard. It is unfortunate that the Minister voices a position that is not agreed with other agencies and it is really a shame that the requirement of the new standard does not apply to imported products, which occupy 90% of the market.
The companies are ready to agree on plans to move to a new standard so that they can continue to operate, including not stopping the exports, especially since the mechanisms is already set up within the framework of "Enterprise Georgia". The investment plans of these companies are already submitted to the government and the minister’s statement is very surprising. I think she does not have the right information about the process and I am sure that she will undergo additional consultations in the future, even with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy, "said Giorgi Kacharava.
