Venezuela: "No" To Drug Price Rises

Talks between the organizations representing Venezuelan pharmaceuticalcompanies and the country's Development Ministry concerning price increases have collapsed. The negotiations had been underway for five months, and shortly before the end of December had been expected to result in a New Year agreement with an increase in prices and a new program favoring the use of generics.

However, pharmaceutical industry sources at the talks said the government had simply told them that it was unable to conclude an agreement "for political reasons." The sources suggested that those reasons might well include the tense situation existing with the medical profession over health service policy, which has created problems in the hospitals.

The Development Ministry has promised that the negotiations will be resumed later, but the drug industry sources say they have no confidence in these assurances. Meantime, the generics program is left in abeyance.