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Azerbaijani Health Ministry issues warning to private medical institutions, pharmaceutical companies

05 April 2017 11:43 (UTC +04:00)

The Analytical Expertise Center of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Health has issued a warning to the heads of private medical instutions and pharmaceutical organizations.

The Health Ministry has recently received numerous appeals in connection with violations of certain rules, the ministry’s press service told APA on Wednesday.

For example, specialists trained abroad by foreign clinics, especially foreigners and stateless persons living in Azerbaijan permanently, must obtain a certificate from the Ministry of Health. In addition, private clinics and pharmaceutical companies will only be authorized to engage in the types of activity specified in the license. Also, there is Resolution No. 57, dated October 21, 2015, approved by the Ministry of Health, on the rules for the issue of medicines from pharmacies, according to which physicians must prescribe an international non-proprietary name (active substance) when writing prescriptions for patients instead of writing a trade name. There were also negative facts such as the sale and use of medicines imported into the country illegally and those that are without state registration. Such facts jeopardize the health of the population.

In accordance with the decision No.5 dated 12.01.1999 of the Cabinet of Ministers, medical and pharmacological workers who received education in foreign countries as well as foreigners and stateless persons who permanently live in Azerbaijan, can only be authorized to engage in medical activities in Azerbaijan on the basis of a relevant certificate issued by the ministry.

The ministry stated that according to Item 6 of Article No.46 of the law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on protection of public health, private medical institutions are not allowed to carry out other activities except those specified in the appendix to the license given to those institutions.

It is noted that according to Item 1.3 of the rules on state registration and register of medicines approved by decision No.108 dated July 13, 2007 of the Cabinet of Ministers, with the exception of particular cases specified by the law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Medicines, only after the Ministry of Health and its authorized structure conduct state registration of medicines and issue a document confirming the quality, their import, production, sale and use within the country will be allowed.

“Given the abovementioned, it is demanded to take necessary measures in your enterprise for immediately suspending the activities of medical personnel who attended training abroad and doesn’t have certificate of the Ministry of Health, especially the foreigners and stateless persons permanently residing in Azerbaijan; illegal medical and pharmaceutical activities over specialties not mentioned in the appendix to licenses issued for private medical activities; using trade names of medicines instead of international nonproprietary names in recipes that is contrary to the Guidelines for Dispensing of Medicines of the Ministry of Health and the use and sale of illegally imported medicines in the country,” said the ministry.

“Otherwise, in accordance with Item 1 of Decree No322 dated 31.10.2014 of the Azerbaijani President about application of the law of the Azerbaijan Republic on regulation of the inspections which are carried out in the field of the entrepreneurship and protection of interests of entrepreneurs of July 2, 2013 No. 714-IVQ, such cases would be regarded as direct and serious threat to human life or health or as significant damage and appropriate administrative measures would be taken against you,” concluded the ministry.