Good health service 'doesn't always mean cheap medicine'
Good health service 'doesn't always mean cheap medicine'
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Health Achmad Suyudi disclosed here
on Thursday that good health services for the people does not
necessarily mean the availability of medicines at low prices but
more the assurance of the availability of over-the-counter drugs.
Suyudi said that to set the prices of medicines was
complicated since it was related to many aspects, ranging from
procurement of the raw materials to the costs of production and
distribution.
"We have to properly manage all aspects related to the prices
of medicine so as not to hurt production of certain medicines,
especially generic medicine, which is more affordable for the
people," he told a discussion here.
The government had increased the prices of generic drugs by an
average of 20 percent to help ensure the continuation of
production by drug companies, which was severely affected by the
plunge of the rupiah against the greenback. At that time the
rupiah exchange rate reached Rp 11,000 to the U.S. dollar.
Director of pharmaceutical company PT Kimia Farma, Darodjatun,
urged the government to keep drug prices within a fixed range
determined by both the government and the industry so as not to
squeeze the production of the medicines.
He said that despite the price increase at least 37 kinds of
generic drugs had disappeared from the market.
"This disappearance is caused by three factors, namely
mistakes in market surveys on the part of the producers, the lost
economic value so that the products are no longer needed and the
small budget, which forced medicine companies to stop their
production.
"The important thing for the government is to stabilize the
prices so that the medicines can still be readily available in
the market," he told journalists on the sidelines of a weekly
discussion.
The discussion was held by the Indonesian Pharmaceutical Watch
aimed at examining drug prices in the country from all aspects,
including the national health funding scheme, pharmaceutical
research and production and drug distribution and promotion.
Suyudi also expressed concern over the limited scope of the
government health funding scheme, which enables the poor to
obtain affordable or even free medicines and the availability of
adequate medical facilities such as health centers, clinics,
hospitals and physicians.
Thursday's discussion also raised the possibility of inviting
foreign companies to the generic medicine industry.
Suyudi said not a single regulation prohibits it, but head of
the food and drugs control agency, Sampurno, underlined the
importance of establishing a legal foundation for such a move.
Darodjatun welcomed the involvement of foreign companies but
he believed that they would be reluctant to enter the market as
the government sets the prices of generic medicine. (bby)