Over 300 medicines to be cheaper starting tomorrow
Pharmacies and wholesale distributors are gearing up for a proposed reduction in the prices of over 300 medicines that is expected to take effect tomorrow.
Prices are expected to fall by up to 70 percent based on a GCC decision to unify the prices of about 2,500 medicines in phases.
The Pharmacy and Drug Control Department at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) earlier issued a circular to retailers and wholesalers, saying the reduced prices will be in force from September 22. It also issued a list of the current and new prices of over 300 medicines.
Several pharmacists said they were expecting the decision to be implemented as scheduled.
“We have not been informed about any change and we are preparing accordingly. Tonight, we will put the new prices for medicines included in the list, for sale on Monday,” a pharmacist said last evening.
He said pharmacists would incur losses on the stocks because of the new prices. “We have stocks, especially of medicines that require a prescription from the doctor.”
The reduced prices will apply to most sought-after medicines like panadol and aspirin and drugs for common diseases like hypertension and diabetes.
