The Government of the Russian Federation presented in parliament a new bill “On Amending Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation on the Issues of Providing Citizens with Medicines, Medical Products and Health Food Products”.
The document envisages the creation of a federal register of citizens entitled to free medicines, medical products and medical nutrition. At present, there is no single list of citizens eligible for free medical assistance from the state. Preferential medicines are prescribed during medical admission in medical institutions on the basis of the list of essential medicines.
This list includes 406 international brands, of which more than 100 drugs are prescribed to a patient only by decision of a medical commission. At the same time, the list of vital and essential drugs includes 758 drugs. Citizens entered in this register will be provided with medicines and medical products at the expense of the federal or regional budgets.
The document states that the list of vital and essential drugs will be reviewed at least once a year. The bill provides for the provision of medicines to the population within the framework of territorial programs of state guarantees of free medical assistance to citizens. In addition, the provision of medicines, medical products and medical nutrition products on this list is mandatory.
