Georgia’s Health Minister addresses medicine shortage for oncological patients

Georgia’s Minister of Health, Mikheil Sarjveladze, on Tuesday announced that the government was prepared to intervene if the private sector fails to resolve the ongoing shortage of medicines for cancer patients.

In a meeting with pharmacies and importers, Sarjveladze emphasized the “urgent need” to address this issue swiftly.

“We have called on pharmacies and importers to eliminate the shortage of medicines for oncopatients as quickly as possible. If there is no adequate response from the private sector, the state will be forced to choose different methods of regulation,” he said.

The minister explained that the shortage of any single medicine was a matter of significant concern. “Surprisingly, there is a periodic shortage of medicines on the market. We maintain intense communication with importers and pharmacy chains. Each medicine shortage warrants special attention and is of particular interest. Although the current legislation does not allow the state to directly import and distribute medicines, we monitor the processes and stocks to ensure the shortage does not negatively impact patient treatment.”