Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturers have asked Ukrainian authorities and top managers of international organizations to remove discriminative conditions for public procurement via international organizations, the Association Manufactures of Medications of Ukraine (AMMU) said in a letter.

The letter is signed by 30 Ukrainian medicine manufacturers.

The situation before the launch of public procurement via international organizations has resulted to the following: Ukrainian manufacturers almost removed from procurement in own state and cannot provide pharmaceutical products to Ukrainian citizens using budget money.

"The situation was created by doubtful and non-transparent actions of the Health Ministry and this was supported by some international companies, which brings a threat to the elimination of the Ukrainian pharmaceutical sector," the association said.

The signers of the letter said that the situation was created thanks to requirements of the Health Ministry to pass the prequalification procedure at the World Health Organization (WHO) by Ukrainian pharmaceutical enterprises, which is not in line with Ukrainian law.

"International organizations orient to purchase of medicines from manufacturers who passed the WHO prequalification, while the prequalification is not mandatory for production of medicines in Ukraine under Ukrainian law. The requirement to pass the WHO prequalification has signs of improper competitive behavior, restricts competition under Ukrainian law and results in discrimination of procurement participants and destroys the sector," the association said.

It takes one or two years to pass the WHO prequalification procedure.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers believe that the requirements under Ukrainian law should be used during the formation of public procurement conditions, and not only the requirements outlined in the regulations of international organizations.

The association asks not to include the WHO prequalification for Ukrainian manufacturers which production is in line with good manufacturing practice (GMP).

The Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturers asked to include requirements that demand the state registration of medicines in Ukraine in the written agreements on public procurement that are signed with international organizations. The GMP certificate issued by the State Service for Medicinal Products of Ukraine should be included in the requirements to the qualification of manufacturers, while the certificate of pharmaceutical product (CPP) should not be the obligatory conditions for public procurement, as the CPP is not required for the registration of medicines under Ukrainian law.