It was not possible to replace imported drugs

Commentary by Alexey Egorov, General Director of JSC "AVVA RUS," to the "Expert" publication regarding the situation around the import substitution of medicinal drugs.

Pharmaceutical import substitution has begun to decline, the Romir holding company stated based on a survey of Russians. But the director of a domestic pharmaceutical factory considers talk of the low quality of our drugs to be "frank nonsense."

According to the Romir holding's study titled "The Difficult Drug Choice," if two years ago four out of five respondents (81%) tried to find domestic substitutes for imported drugs, today only two-thirds of those surveyed (66%) reported such attempts.

Overall, supporters of domestic medicines are in the majority, at 58%. Moreover, it's not just about price. The share of Russians who recognize the superiority of the quality of domestic medicines over imported ones has doubled.

But simultaneously, the ranks of supporters of imported medicines have also strengthened.

Over two years, the number of those who could not find a replacement for any imported drug has doubled—from 3% to 7%. The number of supporters of foreign drugs who didn't even think about looking for a replacement has also increased significantly. If in 2015, 16% of respondents indicated this answer option, this year the share has increased to 27%.

Sociology says one thing, but sales data doesn't entirely align with it, believes Alexey Egorov, General Director of the pharmaceutical company "AVVA RUS." In his opinion, the results of this survey are more empirical in nature. That is, they are based on the respondents' feelings.

There are several factors that need to be considered when formulating such surveys, the expert explains. Firstly, advertising of over-the-counter drugs is permitted, including on TV, and it is necessary to compare the budgets spent on this advertising by our and foreign companies. The ratio here is not in favor of the domestic manufacturer.

Secondly, according to a law passed not long ago, a doctor is required to prescribe a medicine to a patient by its so-called INN—international nonproprietary name—and the patient then chooses a specific drug among its analogues based on that. But control over this legal norm is weak. And a patient, remembering TV advertising for a prescription drug, will most likely choose it. This was also unlikely considered by the survey compilers.

The third point, Egorov continues, is drug segments. If we are talking about, for example, an expensive oncology drug, people's stereotypes kick in, and they will most likely prefer a foreign analogue. But often, in vain. "I consider all insinuations on the topic that domestic manufacturers use low-quality raw materials in their products to be frank nonsense," he remarks.

"We must not forget about the supervisory authorities, which carry out very thorough random checks of both substances and finished drugs." The survey results rather testify to the respondents' lack of awareness, believes the pharmaceutical company director, noting that the educational function for the population regarding the quality of domestic medicines lies primarily with the Ministry of Health and Roszdravnadzor (the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare).