Nearly 98-99 percent of registered medicines in Kyrgyzstan are generic drugs, while only 1-2 percent are brand-name pharmaceuticals. Clinical pharmacologist Aida Zurdinova shared this information on Facebook.
She noted that the small percentage of brand-name drugs mainly includes insulin, immunosuppressants, and oncology medications, which are at the center of ongoing debates and concerns.
«Brand-name drugs are the first to be developed and patented by a pharmaceutical company. Generics are copies of these drugs that are produced after the patent expires. They contain the same active ingredients and have the same usage conditions but are cheaper since they don’t require the same level of investment in development and research,» Zurdinova explained.
To determine whether brand-name drugs and generics are interchangeable, several factors must be considered:
- Active ingredients;
- Release form;
- Bioequivalence;
- Indications and contraindications;
- Manufacturing quality and standards;
- Side effects.
If all these factors match, the brand-name drug and its generic can be considered equivalent.
Aida Zurdinova noted that there are different types of generics.
«The regulator, the Department of Medicines and Medical Products, should be responsible for determining which of them will be on the market. The quality of its work determines what will ultimately be in healthcare organizations and will be used by the population. It is important that all drugs undergo the registration procedure, and those that are not registered in the country are not purchased. An exception can only be made for rare drugs or in the case, when a trusted manufacturer is not interested in the pharmaceutical market, since the volumes are too small for it, but the drug is vital for the state,» she emphasized.
The transition of patients from brand-name drugs to generics has been a controversial topic in Kyrgyzstan for years. Government officials argue that generics could reduce healthcare costs, while patients fear potential health risks.
According to Aida Zurdinova, for transplant patients, switching from original immunosuppressants to generics is particularly risky due to the narrow therapeutic range of these medications. Even slight concentration changes can increase the risk of organ rejection.
If patients are immediately transferred to generics, this will entail additional costs for laboratory tests for frequent monitoring of the drug concentration.
«However, there are no such laboratories in state healthcare organizations, as well as trained laboratory technicians. Most importantly, there are not enough nephrologists who would strictly manage post-transplant patients. Such a decision must be justified by strict calculations. By saving on one, you can increase the burden of the disease and the financial burden additionally,» the expert wrote.
As one of the options, it is suggested managing patients who undergo transplantation in the Kyrgyz Republic on high-quality generics from the very beginning.
