The companies working on the pharmaceutical market are concerned that they will not be able to sell the drugs from the stores by January 1, when the new method of setting drug prices comes into force, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a roundtable meeting, a number of pharmacists proposed implementing the National Drug Prices Catalogue from April 1, not January 1. Minister of Health Vladimir Hotineanu said the new methodology of setting prices was announced in June. “But the companies did not take this fact into account. On September 1 alone, there were stored up drugs to the value of over 90 million lei. Why?” Vladimir Hotineanu asked. Asked why the authorities exert pressure on the pharmaceutical companies, the minister said the people are angry that the drugs are so expensive and they showed him this when he traveled through villages during the election campaign. After January 1, before importing the drugs, the companies present the producer price at the price verification and registration office. The specialists of the office examine the prices in 12 countries and select the lowest three prices. The average price is included in the Drug Prices Catalogue of Moldova. The prices of the drugs sold in drugstores cannot exceed the prices included in the Catalogue plus the allowed profit margin, i. e. not more than 40% of the product’s price. According to the authorities, this way the importers will avoid bringing expensive medications into the country as the same drugs can be found at other producers at lower prices. It is expected that the prices of drugs will decrease by 15-20%.