'Internal control of imported drugs is low'

Today, the proposed amendments to the "Medicines" law were discussed in the Milli Majlis in Azerbaijan. The project aims to recognize the foreign (international) registration of medicines based on World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. It also seeks to optimize the procedure for state registration of medicines and increase the importation of high-quality medications into the country.

For several years, many citizens in Azerbaijan have attempted to import medicines from Turkey and other countries due to the low quality and high cost of drugs available domestically. There were previous reports of an unofficial ban on importing medicines from Turkey, but official authorities have denied such claims.

According to the analytical examination center of the Ministry of Health, imported medicines undergo checks based on regulatory documents. If any parameters are found to be non-compliant, the import of that specific batch of medication is prohibited. This mechanism applies to officially imported medicines in Azerbaijan.

Aydin Aliyev, one of the founders of the public association "Doctors of Azerbaijan", expressed his opinion  RadioAzadlig said that Azerbaijan has a decent law on drugs, although it may not be perfect in practice. He stressed the need to improve the implementation of the law as it is a strategic issue related to public health. Importing high-quality medicines from developed countries should be a priority, and close cooperation with reliable foreign partners is essential to ensure the availability of necessary ingredients.

The expert emphasized the importance of domestic production in the pharmaceutical sector. Developed countries meet a significant portion (60-65%) of their medicine demands through domestic production, and Azerbaijan should aim to reach at least 20-30% domestic production. Currently, domestic production in Azerbaijan is almost nonexistent.

According to Dr. Aliyev, it is crucial to transparently check the composition of all imported medicines. The presence of independent laboratories is particularly important to address any doubts or concerns regarding the quality of imported drugs. The issue of drug control should not be solely handled by a single entity, as the lack of transparency raises doubts about the process. The internal control of imported drugs in the country is currently at a very low level.

Dr. Aliyev further highlighted the significant impact of storage conditions in depots and pharmacies on the quality of imported drugs, emphasizing the need for strict monitoring in this regard.