Moldova pharmaceutical price deregulation proposal

The Moldovan Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization has proposed a legislative package to deregulate the pricing of over-the-counter (OTC) medications. The initiative seeks to remove state-imposed price ceilings for approximately 1,617 drugs—roughly a quarter of the nation’s listed medicines—allowing pharmacies to set prices based on market conditions to reduce bureaucratic barriers.

While the government suggests the move is part of a debureaucratization effort, the proposal has met with significant criticism. Health Minister Alexandru Gasnaș noted that liberalization would not be total, stating that essential medicines like paracetamol and ibuprofen would remain under price controls.

However, experts and former officials have raised concerns regarding the impact on consumers. The Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Moldova estimated potential price increases of 5% to 7% due to logistics and production costs. Former Health Minister Ala Nemerenco criticized the policy, suggesting it might serve specific lobbying interests and warning that it could lead to price discrepancies or divert resources away from critical treatments for cancer and rare diseases.