Cover Story
In perspective
In a bid to make medication accessible and affordable to all , the ministry of health through the Board has developed a draft legal framework for parallel importation of pharmaceuticals , as confirmed by a senior manager at the PPB . PPB Head of Trade Affairs , Dr . Antony Toroitich informed
Health Business that this framework has put together all the
necessary details pertaining to parallel importation of drugs that is expected to ease the burden of medication cost on many Kenyan households . Dr . Toroitich opines that when implemented , this policy will see the elimination of cartels in the local pharmaceutical market with resultant benefits to the population .
Dr . Anthony Toroitich , Pharmacy & Poisons Board
“ Cartels have been a pain in this industry because they have provided an opportunity for the importation of substandard drugs and counterfeits into the Kenyan market ,” said Dr . Toroitich .
“ They have increased the cost of treatment by manipulating thesupply and demand dynamics occasioning scarcity of essential drugs and eventually raising their prices ; this they do for their own selfish gains .”
Dr . Toroitich was speaking in his Nairobi office during an interview with the Health Business magazine team .
According to him , introduction of regulated parallel imports , will ensure constant supply of drugs and in the process improve access especially to life saving drugs .
Parallel Importation ( PI )
Parallel importation is not a new concept . The trade has been in operation for many years in not only Kenya but also the world .
However , there have not been formal rules to guide the conduct of this trade in Kenya and in the region . This is the motivation behind the current policy proposals .
The term “ parallel imports - PI ” describes the purchase of trade-marked or patented goods in one market and the subsequent export of those goods to another market for resale . In this case ‘ market ’ could refer to a country such as Kenya or a state within an economic block for instance the East African Community ( EAC ). In the case of European Union ( EU ), where there is an existing
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