The availability and accessibility of medicines remain a concern for patients in Mauritius. On September 24, discussions were held on the issue in the "Au Cœur de l'Info" program, hosted by Prem Swepaul, on the eve of World Pharmacists' Day. Nitin Kumar Busguth, president of the Pharmacy Council, stated that several medicines are in short supply, but many have generic substitutes available in the market.
Siddique Khodabocus, president of the Association of Small and Medium Importers of Pharmaceutical Products, emphasized that availability should be a priority. He noted that the law allows pharmacists to substitute brand-name medicines with generics if the patient agrees, without needing the doctor's authorization. However, Khodabocus expressed concerns that generics may not have the same effects on all patients, calling for comparative studies on generics in the market.
Bibi Waheeda Gopee, director of the Pharmacy Board, assured that generics have the same therapeutic effects as original medicines. She explained that the Pharmacy Board is responsible for registering all medicines entering the Mauritian market and has safeguards in place to analyze products. Although Mauritius lacks a laboratory to test product quality, several conditions must be met before registration, and the National Pharmacovigilance Committee monitors medicine effects.
Gopee attributed medicine shortages to suppliers' reliance on foreign products, which can lead to stock interruptions. She confirmed that there is currently no shortage of diabetes medicines in the public health service. The issue of price hikes was also discussed, with Busguth citing factors such as logistics, freight, and currency fluctuations.
Khodabocus argued that prices are high due to supplier constraints and that subsidies and regressive mark-ups are not solutions. He stated that pharmacy margins in Mauritius, around 32%, are lower than in other regional countries. Jayen Chellum, secretary-general of the Association of Consumers of Mauritius, emphasized the need to keep medicines accessible and acknowledged multiple factors contributing to price hikes.
Chellum noted that some patients remain skeptical about generics, citing concerns that they may not have the same effects. He suggested that using the term "copy" perpetuates doubts, despite generics having similar therapeutic properties. The stakeholders' discussions highlighted the complexities of addressing medicine shortages and price hikes in Mauritius.
The conversation underscored the need for a multi-faceted approach to address the challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector in Mauritius. With ongoing efforts to ensure medicine availability and affordability, stakeholders will continue to engage on these critical issues.
Key points
- Medicine shortages and price hikes are pressing concerns in Mauritius.
- Generics have the same therapeutic effects as original medicines.
- Stakeholders call for a multi-faceted approach to address pharmaceutical sector challenges.
