The National Catalogue of Producer Drug Prices for 2012 includes over 3 000 types of drugs. 58% of these prices decreased, but insignificantly, said consultant of the Health Ministry’s Drugs and Medical Technology Division Iurie Malanciuc, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a meeting of the interdepartmental control commission for ensuring the security of pharmaceutical assistance and combating the illegal import of drugs, Iurie Malanciuc said some of the producers working on Moldova’s pharmaceutical market tend to increase the producer drug prices of the imported drugs, mainly those from Belarus. They argue that the financial crisis of 2011 had a significant impact on prices. A comparative analysis of producer drug prices included in the National Catalogue shows that they fell by 0.76% compared with the corresponding period last year. “As the prices of certain services and products increased, it is good that the prices of drugs were maintained,” said the consultant. Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Moldovanu, who chaired the meeting, said a Belarusian drug producer exports pharmaceutical produces to CIS countries at prices that are by up to 200% lower than to Moldova. Malanciuc said this is because the prices of drugs in 2009-2010 hadn’t been assessed. But this year the situation will be remedied. The consultant stressed that the drugstores are not allowed to put a trade margin higher than 20% of the product’s price.