The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) believes that the introduction of non-price criteria for the procurement of medicines at public expense should be as transparent as possible.
“The chamber’s member companies support the need to introduce non-price criteria. The lowest price does not always ensure the proper quality of equipment, as a result of which the patient’s needs are not met, and the state ends up spending more money on the healthcare system. It is also important that the process of introducing and applying non-price criteria be as transparent as possible,” AmCham told Interfax-Ukraine, commenting on the results of a roundtable discussion on “Non-price criteria in public procurement of medical devices: European practices and opportunities for Ukraine,” which the chamber recently held with the participation of international experts and the leadership of Ukrainian regulatory authorities.
AmCham recalled that a revision of Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of February 26, 2014, is planned for 2026, including in terms of price orientation in procurement.
“The main criterion for procurement continues to be the lowest price, but, unfortunately, in practice, this does not ensure timely delivery and delivery in full, quality, and sufficient service life of the medical device. That is why, in particular, EU countries and the UK use non-price criteria or value-oriented procurement,” the chamber notes.
In turn, Oleg Kletz, Director General of the Ministry of Health, noted during the event that “price is an important indicator, but it is not synonymous with quality or uninterrupted supply.”
“We are moving towards a more comprehensive evaluation model, where, along with price, proven quality, ability to fulfill the contract, and clinical effectiveness are taken into account. That is why we are engaged in an open dialogue with the market and the expert community to develop an approach that will ensure competition and transparency and, most importantly, the uninterrupted availability of high-quality free medicines and medical devices for Ukrainians,” he said.
