AREDIS advocates in-depth reforms to solve the problem with medicines

Faced with the latest accusations that have arisen around the issue of medicines in the country, the Association of Representatives and Distributors of Pharmaceutical Products (AREDIS) He warned today that taking measures without technical support could impact the availability and supply of medicines at the national level, for which he advocated taking substantive and long-term actions.

In a statement released today in the print media, AREDIS is in complete agreement that “substantive reforms be adopted so that our health system on the issue of medicines works in an equitable, transparent manner and for the benefit of all, especially patients. ”.

“It is our responsibility to warn that taking measures without technical support and disconnected from market realities could generate significant effects on the availability of medicines at the national level. For example, authorizing the parallel importation of medicines without controls will only cause the entry of counterfeit medicines, and given this risk, the possibility opens up for manufacturing laboratories to cancel the registrations of their products due to the public health risks of operating in a market that allows such a situation”, says the organization.

On the margin of the market

According to AREDIS, “the sale of innovative medicines from distribution companies to private pharmacies is made with a gross margin of less than 25%, on which all offers, promotions and additional discounts that we grant must be discounted, as well as all the administrative, operational, technical and financial expenses involved in its operations throughout the country. In the sale of medicines through tenders to the public sector, the gross income that distributors receive are significantly lower than those of the private sector. It is important clarify that the expenses that the distributor incurs to fulfill such responsibilities must be deducted from these income and it does not correspond to the net profit of the companies”.

This information, Aredis points out, can be verified by the competent authorities, since they have in their possession the information related to the importation of medicines, including purchase invoices from suppliers. “ACODECO, in turn, has the power to request drug sales information from our companies and verify the reality of the gross margins, for which we are available to the competent authorities,” he explains.

In relation to the affirmations that there is an oligopoly in the medicine market, they “show a total ignorance of the market. As an example, only in the last Single Price Tender, 54 companies participated, most of which do not belong to our Association”.

critical measures

Regarding the medication situation, Aredis considers “it is critical to take measures for adequate supply in the Public Sector, since the Social Security Fund and the rest of the public health sector serve around 80% of the population.” If the CSS shortage problem is not tackled head-on, any measure towards the private market will be counterproductive.