Abdulla Azizov: The introduction of a tax on medications will not impact prices in Uzbekistan.

Concerns have been raised in society that this may impact drug prices. However, Azizov assures that "it will not affect the market."

He cited the example of bandages, which had a 30% duty imposed in Uzbekistan. This led to a shift towards local production of bandages and other medical products, resulting in a reduction of imports for these goods, according to Kun.uz.

In the new decree, the duty is only applied to certain types of medicines and is set at just 2%. For instance, blood products, vaccines, and immunological preparations are exempt from this duty, maintaining a zero rate for them.

Until the end of 2024, a fee of 1.2% was charged for customs clearance of pharmaceutical goods in the country, but this fee was waived in accordance with the World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements. Instead, a standard duty of 2% has been introduced, similar to that in other countries, which, according to Azizov, will not lead to price changes.

He also pointed out that in the USA, the duty on medicines can reach 6.5%, and in India — 10%, with variations in this rate across different countries. He believes that the introduction of a duty on medicines will help local manufacturers become more competitive.