The energy crisis is expected caused by the conflict in the Middle East also affects the price of medicines. The Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, considers that the country must be prepared for a possible increase in medicines, but that, for now, there is no reason for “greater concern”.
“This impact, for now, is not something that is immediately on the table. Others already are, as we know, but for now we still don’t have a reason for greater concern. But we have to be prepared, we have to be prepared”, reacted Ana Paula Martins to the words of the President of the Pharmaceutical Industry Association.
The association considers that a climb is inevitablegiven the and pressure from the United States on Europe.
“We have substantially lower prices in Europe than in the United States and this is clearly a reality. Innovative medicines, most of them come from the United States (…) I would say that, on the one hand, inflation and what it entails and, on the other hand, the political pressure that will exist towards European prices becoming closer to North American prices”, he said João Almeida Lopes, President of the Pharmaceutical Industry Association, told Antena 1.
Despite not being registered in all cases, the association admits that there may be critical situations, warning of the need to take care of possible supply disruptions.
“Prices are regulated and regulators, in some cases, will clearly have to be able to eventually admit price changes (…) The biggest concern at the moment are transport costs”, added João Almeida Lopes.
In a critical supply chain, the President João Almeida Lopes argues that the distribution should be supported and that Portugal should follow Spain’s example in supporting transport and energy costs. The Minister of Health has not commented on this issue.
