Vučević and Marković: We have limited the maximum price of prescription drugs, health must not depend on economic status

Health and life must not depend on economic status, and a health system accessible to all and based on solidarity is the basis of the values ​​and political commitment of the Europe Now Movement. The proposed regulation is in this context and is fully in line with the Constitution of Montenegro, which stipulates that all citizens have the right to health care, said Europe Now Movement MPs Dragana Vučević and Dane Marković in a joint statement.

They recalled that, at the initiative of the Europe Now Movement's Club of Councilors, a bill amending the Law on Medicines was voted on in the Parliament of Montenegro today.

"This is another legal solution that will improve the living conditions of the citizens of Montenegro, because this Law, like everything else we do, is done exclusively for our citizens, whom we serve. This legal solution will establish criteria for setting maximum prices for prescription drugs that are not on the List of Medicines, that is, are not covered by mandatory health insurance," the MPs explain.

Vučević and Marković pointed out that the current legal solution, according to which the prices of prescription drugs - that is, of great importance for recovery - but not on the List of Medicines, implied that their price was formed on the market and in practice was significantly higher than in the countries of the region, thus putting the citizens of Montenegro, at a time when they are most vulnerable due to their health condition, in a financially difficult position and making treatment more difficult for them in practice.

"How important this solution is for every citizen of our country is shown by the fact that the proposal of the Europe Now Parliamentary Group, which limits the maximum price of prescription medicines, the price of which is paid by citizens, received broad support in today's vote in the Parliament of Montenegro.

"In this way, the good intentions of this proposal were recognized and confirmed, which were previously recognized by the Ministry of Health and, with the support of the 44th Government, recommended that this legal solution be adopted," the statement said.

The new legal solution will not affect the work of private pharmacies, given that their business depends on several factors, as well as the fact that they have the right to calculate a trade margin of 18 percent for medicines, Vučević and Marković point out.

"Of course, after defining maximum prices in pharmacies, no medicine may be sold at a price higher than the maximum set, and this will be another contribution of PES to improving the standards of Montenegrin citizens and confirmation of the continued work of our party and this Government for the benefit of all citizens of Montenegro and the improvement of the healthcare system of our country, which is taking irrepressible steps towards full EU membership," the statement concludes.