Invitations had been sent to people's deputies of Ukraine, officials of the Presidential Administration, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Healthcare Ministry, and other competent ministries and agencies.
The focal point of the roundtable was analysis of legislative initiatives aiming at improvements in the pharmaceutical sector.
Those legislative initiatives include draft laws No.2162 and No. 2162-1 suggesting new wording of the Law of Ukraine "On Medications."
The main challenges of the draft laws are introduction in Ukraine of European principles and standards in the legal regulation of circulation of medications aiming at provision of access to all strata of the population to safe, effective and high-quality medications, perfection of the nomenclature, access of high-quality medications to the Ukrainian market, legal grounds for sound competition among economic entities and mitigation of the administrative pressure on operators of the pharmacological market, reduction in cost of medications.
Participants in the roundtable noted that both alternative draft laws deserve respect and contain a number of new progressive provisions. However, they need finalization, including consideration of recommendations from the WHO.
The roundtable also addressed draft law on pharmaceutical self-government No. 3054 aiming at defining legal grounds for establishing the Pharmaceutical Chamber of Ukraine, legal forms of its activities, and principles of relations with the State. It was noted that the draft law facilitates enhancement of the role of public in formation and realization of policies in the sector. It also aims at facilitating the development of the pharmaceutical market and its infrastructure. However, the roundtable participants stated that the draft law does not meet all of today's challenges and needs essential finalization.