The price of pharmaceuticals in Vietnam is on the rise, putting further pressure on patients, especially those with chornic diseases.
Increases in drug prices put pressure on patients
Price hikes have been seen, not only at retail and wholesale medicine centres, but also drugstores at hospitals. In HCM City, medicine prices have increased for three times so far this year.
Since early September, prices of many kinds of medicines have been raised by as much as 30%. Enterprises attributed the higher prices to the increase in input material increases. However, a survey carried out by the General Department of Customs on more than 40 essential drugs indicated that only the price of one had increased.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s report, healthcare services saw the highest price increase in September, with 23.87%.
A doctor who works at a private clinic in Binh Thanh District, HCM City, said prices of many kinds of medicine have see volatility over the past two weeks, particularly tonics and fluids. A fluid bottle of Vitaplex 500ml was sold at VND35,000 (USD1.6) in May, but now, the price is VND40,000. It is the third price rise since late 2011 from VND27,000 and then to VND35,000.
Mrs. Nguyen Hong Nhung, of Go Vap District, shared she that over the last 10 days she has had to use stomach medicine, including Lasol prazol 30mg, Motillium, Debridat and Seduxen 5mg. In the past this would have cost her just VND29,000, but now the price has climbed to VND40,000.
Tien Phong Newspaper cited Pharmacist Nguyen Duc Dung, Director of a medicine company in District 1, HCM City, as saying that both drug companies that are domestically based and foreign ones must get approval from the Drug Administration of Vietnam and local department of health for medicine price hikes.
However, many adjusted their medicine prices without seeking the authority permission.
Although the ministries of Health, Finance and Industry and Trade issued a circular on medicine price management which took effect from June 1, 2012, the local market has witnessed sharp and continuing increases in prices.
