Health minister accuses companies of artificial shortages of single epilepsy drug for children

Georgian Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili on Friday reiterated the claims by his body that domestic companies had created artificial shortages of the single epilepsy drug for children to increase its cost. 

In his press comments, the official refrained from naming the companies citing ongoing investigation, but claimed they had “hundreds of packages” of the drug in their stocks and refused to put them for sale. 

Azarashvili said the companies had been fined and the issue had been “resolved for now”, pledging his body would react to such incidents and take steps to prevent them. 

The domestic Association of Pharmaceutical Companies on Thursday responded to the allegations and claimed they had been based on “assumptions”. 

It claimed the medication Depakine chrono produced by the Turkish company Sanofi had been  imported to the market in small quantities due manufacturing problems and related delays in exports. 

“The Turkish side is unable to provide the medicine at the reference price,” the association said, adding it was delivered immediately to domestic pharmacies after being imported, but due to the “limited and insufficient quantity”, it was sold out quickly. 

“The Association of Pharmaceutical Companies condemns the accusations against its member companies and suspects that the campaign is aimed at damaging the reputation of the sector, which is completely unacceptable and condemnable for every member of the industry”, said the association.