Recent analysis shows that drug prices in Kazakhstan are rising faster than in other countries in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
Despite government regulation, the annual increase in medicine prices in Kazakhstan was 11% in May, compared to an average of 4.2% in the EEU.
Kyrgyzstan had the highest increase at 16.1%, while Russia and Belarus, which supply pharmaceuticals to Kazakhstan, had less noticeable price increases at 3% and 0.8%, respectively.
Last year, Kazakhstan ranked second in the union for rising drug prices.
The difference in prices for the same drugs in different EEU countries is due to varying methods of government price regulation. Although most EEU countries control the cost of medicines, Armenia does not.
The Central Asian country currently regulates over 6,000 drugs but has begun a deregulation policy, which will gradually reduce the number of controlled medicines over the next few years.
Earlier, Daryo reported that Kazakhstan is currently preparing a comprehensive three-year plan aimed at tackling drug abuse and trafficking, which includes synthetic drugs.
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