Finance and health ministries will try s to reduce the non-prescription drugs in Israel

The Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Finance accuse the pharmaceutical companies of charging higher prices for over-the-counter drugs than other countries and claime they would fight the price differences of over-the-counter drugs. This was revealed by a notice issued by the two ministries regarding this issue.
An examination conducted by the Ministry of Economy showed that there are significant differences in the over-the-counter drugs in Israel compared to the prices of drugs abroad. Minister of Economics and Industry Eli Cohen and Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman decided to join hands to reduce the non-prescription drugs in Israel.
According to data from the Ministry of Health, there is a gap between the maximum permissible prices of over-the-counter drugs in Israel published once a year by the Ministry of Health, compared with the actual prices in selected countries. In some prescription drugs there is a significant difference in the maximum prices controlled between the identical drugs of different companies and gaps between the actual prices of those drugs, which, according to the offices, could create "economic distortions and problems in the citizens' access to drugs."
Minister of Economy Eli Cohen: "The Israeli pharmaceutical market is controlled by a small number of companies that take advantage of their status and exclusivity agreements to charge exorbitant prices for vitamins and over-the-counter medicines. We will work through the established team, including the Antitrust Authority and the Consumer Protection Authority, in order to lower prices in Israel and stop using the Israeli consumer even in the field of over-the-counter medications. "
Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman said: "We are working for the public and for the cost of living even in the field of over-the-counter medications, and patients are entitled to lower prices, which will help everyone.