Vietnam Ministry of Health to tighten drug and medical equipment price controls

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health is intensifying oversight of medical equipment and drug pricing to control costs. During a government press conference on October 3, Deputy Minister Vu Manh Ha addressed concerns regarding the inflation of medical device and drug prices before they enter the country.

Currently, the state does not set fixed prices for all medical equipment. Instead, prices are managed through existing regulations concerning bidding, customs, taxation, and general price laws. For pharmaceuticals, the Ministry monitors the entire lifecycle, including production, importation, distribution, procurement, and clinical use. Wholesale distributors are prohibited from selling prescription drugs at prices higher than their declared wholesale prices.

Deputy Minister Ha noted that centralized national procurement and price negotiation mechanisms have already saved approximately 6 trillion VND. To combat potential price manipulation through overseas intermediaries, the Ministry emphasized the need for inter-agency coordination between health, finance, tax, and customs authorities. Moving forward, the Ministry plans to refine legal frameworks to further strengthen the management of drugs and medical devices.