Mongolia imports 97 percent of its pharmaceuticals

It is estimated that there are over 500 pharmacies in Ulaanbaatar City according to a study by the Ministry of Health in 2012. The study also reveals that pharmacists of 60 percent of the pharmacies are non-professionals. There 75 companies that run drug business owned by non-professionals. Over 97 percent of the 2400 types of drugs that are sold in the Mongolian market are imported and only 3 percent are made in the country.

Mongolia’s drug consumption increased by 28.5 percent in 2012 compared to 2000.

However the drug price is relatively stable except for a 2.5 increase in prices of drugs imported from Germany, according to the study.

It is suspected that a big network of drug businesses exist in Mongolia as well as the 160 registered companies including Monos, Emimpex, Eurofarm, Asiafarm that are officially run drug business. These companies import drugs and pills from mostly Russia, Hungary and Germany. Lately pills have also come from from France, Indonesia and England.

Mongolians who used traditional drugs now also take numerous types of drugs and pills imported in containers from all corners of the world.

Monos Company provides the supply of 65 percent of imported drugs and pills. The company has special interests in 54 percent of the total pharmacies in Mongolia. But not only companies that have been granted an official license import drugs, also individuals import drugs and pills in large quantities.

The imported drugs and pills are believed to be sold via 535 pharmacies. But local reports say that there is already a big black market for the drug business in Mongolia. There is no control on the black market of the illegal drug business.

In the city 198 of the pharmacies are graded as the first class and 337 as second class. But only 95 of these grant drugs and pills using the health insurance book.

A previous regulation meant that the Ministry of Health certified imported drugs. This has been changed so importing companies now take care of the drug guarantee. It is believed that the boom in the drug business is a result of Mongolia’s free consumption of drugs without the need of a prescription.