Morocco Competition Council urges caution on drug pricing reform

The Moroccan Competition Council has called for a methodical and cautious approach regarding a government proposal to reform pharmaceutical pricing. While the Council supports the dual objectives of increasing patient access to treatments and ensuring the financial sustainability of mandatory health insurance, it warns that price reductions must not lead to product shortages in pharmacies.

The proposed reform involves a structural revision of market mechanisms for imported specialties, generics, and biosimilars. Key changes include the progressive pricing of generics based on their market entry order, reference product price brackets, and manufacturing origin. Additionally, the project seeks to eliminate the historical 10% markup applied to imported medicines and introduces provisions to negotiate discounts with pharmaceutical companies for high-budget treatments.

The Council recommends conducting a comprehensive impact study before implementation to evaluate economic risks and the current functioning of the sector. It also suggests strengthening the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products with increased human and technical resources to monitor stocks and prevent shortages. Furthermore, the regulator advises adopting a consolidated new decree rather than accumulating amendments, ensuring harmonization between Arabic and French versions of the text.