Britain's Crown Agents is replacing a number of medicines supplied under the project of public procurement of medicines for oncology adults and children by the 2015 state budget, the agency has said in a press release.

At present, Crown Agents replaced 2,800 out of 17,000 packages of Methotrexate to treat child oncology that was procured using 2015 state budget funds and delivered by BaDM distributor. Crown Agents also replaced a batch of Vincristine vials to treat adult oncology made by Teva Ukraine – 2,056 vials out of 9,500 procured. The paper procedure for Vincristine is in progress.

Crown Agents said that documents are being prepared to replace the medicines to treat child oncology in the following positions: Voriconazole pills (1,374 out of over 5,000 procured in 2015, Pfizer will be replaced), Idarubicin vials (137 out of 1,300, Pfizer) and Lenograstim vials (15 out of 9,500, Sanofi).

Documents are also being prepared to replace Lenograstim vials to treat adult oncology (50 out of 425, Sanofi).

Delivery of all medicines for replacement is being carried out immediately after their release in order to ensure the maximum period of their validity. Medicines to be replaced have to be collected from the corresponding hospitals for further liquidation in accordance with international standards and procedures.

Procurement took place exclusively in strict interaction with profile working groups of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, that were properly informed and coordinated all proposals in the procurement process: list of medicines, manufacturers, shelf life and delivery schedules.

"Only after receiving official approval from the working group of the Ministry, deals were concluded and the procurement process began," Crown Agents said.