Vietnam Minister calls for pharma controls

Due to the growing public outcry in Vietnam about the recent surge in drug prices, the Deputy Prime Minister, Pham Gia Khiem, has ordered that the relevant authorities increase their control over the domestic pharmaceutical industry, reports Vietnam News. In an official letter, Mr Khiem has asked the Ministry of Health to help both foreign and local drugmakers, as well as traders, to carry out cost-cutting measures to ensure a reasonable market price for medicines.

The Ministry is also required to tighten its management of the importation of drugs, eliminate any attempt to manipulate the market and make drug prices more transparent. Moreover, the letter calls for the Ministry to restructure the distribution and retail network of special health products and to acelerate its plan to build-up a national medicines reserve.

According to observers, drug prices have increased between 5%-10% on average over the past three years, leading to serious complaints from the public.