Farmak hosted the regular expanded meeting of the HIGH COUNCIL of THE ST. PANTELEIMON’S ORDER Award for Professionalism and Mercy.
The meeting was attended by the High Council members: Chairman of the High Council Vasyl Knyazevych, Olga Bogomolets, Nina Goida, Pavlo Grytsenko, Filya Zhebrovska, Victor Pynzenyk, Vasyl Kremen, Vasil Lazoryshynets, Ella Libanova, Volodymyr Martyniuk, Volodymyr Ohryzko, Vitaliy Tsymbalyuk and representatives of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate. Also, Tetyana Dumenko, Director of the State Enterprise State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, Mykola Tronko, Director of V. Komisarenko Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Petro Bahriy, President of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ukraine and heads of pharmaceutical companies – members of the Association were present at the meeting by invitation.
Yuri Voronenko, Rector of P. Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, became the new member of the High Council. Also, results of selection of candidates for The St. Panteleimon’s Order award by the Regional Councils were announced.
In pursuance of the established tradition, the participants of the event raised issues of great importance for the industry and the country in general: “ We are deeply convinced that the industry and the country need changes to be implemented first and foremost in the interests of patients and Ukraine overall. On 3 April 2017, the main part of the program introduced by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine ‘Affordable Drugs’: reimbursement started. Farmak is an active participant to the program. 8 of 23 molecules participating in the program are part of Farmak’s portfolio. This means 26 finished medicinal products, of which 7 are fully and 19 – partially reimbursed. We understand that this is important for the Ukrainians. This is the first step towards the great changes our country is waiting for. We hope that the program will be supplemented both with new nosologies and new medicinal products”, said F. Zhebrovska, Head of the Supervisory Board of Farmak JSC.
The attendees also discussed challenges of Ukrainian companies’ participation in international procurement procedures, which blocked or significantly impeded the entry into high-tech and innovative segments: oncology, vaccines, immune drugs, and biosimilars. This has heavily affected domestic manufacturers. “We anticipate changes to be introduced in 2019: the participation of domestic companies will become procedurally simpler; information about completed procurement procedures will be public in terms of nomenclature and prices; the development of the Ukrainian pharmaceutical industry will be stimulated with regard to the socio-economic function of domestic companies”, stressed F. Zhebrovska.
Filya Zhebrovska noted that the discriminatory procedure for the simplified registration of medicinal products (Law of Ukraine No. 269-VIII dd. 19.03.2015) should be harmonized with the EU Directives as a matter of urgency. Furthermore, all procurement procedures should be transferred to ProZorro system. She reminded that the procurement of medicinal products not included in the National List of Essential Medicines is not regulated since the beginning of 2019. Therefore, drug manufacturers propose to extend the possibility of purchasing such medicines included in the protocols and standards of treatment.
“Currently, Ukraine’s healthcare industry faces numerous issues to be addressed at the legislative level. One of them is state support of domestic drug manufacturers. Today, the quality of Ukrainian medicinal products is not inferior to their Western counterparts. Therefore, we need to create equal conditions for all manufacturers by reviewing the laws that give priority to foreign companies in the Ukrainian market. We should not forget that the domestic pharmaceutical industry is jobs, taxes, the basis for development and independence of the state. I would also like to mention that Ukraine should have its own vaccines. This is a matter of strategic importance for the country. We cannot compromise lives of the Ukrainians and depend on foreign manufacturers. Vaccines should be produced in Ukraine”, said O. Bogomolets, People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Public Health.
Vitaliy Tsymbalyuk, President of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, also emphasized the need to manufacture domestic vaccines. “According to statistics, vaccination in Ukraine accounts for 30-50% of the global coverage. The population is reluctant to be vaccinated, because they had to buy unnecessary vaccines for a long time. There were complications, sometimes fatalities. Furthermore, each country has its own peculiarities of microorganisms, and this should also be borne in mind. Our Academy has a chart of Ukrainian microorganisms that can be used. We can manufacture our own vaccines by resuming the work of Kharkiv Institute of Vaccines and Serums, which used to supply to the entire Soviet Union. If we resume the vaccines manufacturing in Ukraine, this will provide both new jobs, and protection of children and adults”, noted V. Tsymbalyuk.
In turn, Petro Bahriy emphasized the readiness of the pharmaceutical industry to support medical reforms in Ukraine. “In 2010, the European standards for the manufacture of medicinal products (GMP) were adopted as licensed in Ukraine. This was a right and proactive step enabling Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturers today to be on a par with European companies and sell their products around the world. By the results of 2017, the pharmaceutical industry comprises 515 drug names, 117 manufacturers, 31,000 jobs, UAH 6 billion of taxes paid. Its GDP share is 1%. Therefore, pharmaceutical manufacturers are ready, willing and able to support medical reforms in terms of provision of medical products”, said P. Bahriy.
“Farmak spends more than 95% of its annual profit on innovation and production development. We are the largest exporter of medicinal products currently working with more than 20 European and CIS countries. But, of course, Ukraine remains the priority for us”, noted F. Zhebrovska.
We remind that Filya Zhebrovska, Head of the Supervisory Board of Farmak JSC, became member of the High Council of the St. Panteleimon’s Order in July 2017.
The St. Panteleimon’s Order Award for Professionalism and Mercy is public. It is awarded to persons possessing high professional, spiritual and moral qualities and personal merits in the field of healthcare, as well as charitable, humanistic and public activities. The purpose of the Award is to maintain and strengthen the physical and spiritual health of the nation through the popularization of humanistic activities and increasing the importance of doctors in the modern Ukrainian society, as well as to restore and improve confidence in the difficult and responsible medical profession.
Since the establishment of the Award, it was presented to more than 20 outstanding scientists, doctors, public and philanthropic figures, as well as representatives of the clergy.
