This is how drug prices are changing: the government introduced price restrictions

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 07. 03. 12:20

The Ministry of National Economy’s price restrictions on medicines came into effect on July 1, affecting 34 over-the-counter and 10 prescription, non-subsidized products. The regulation aims to curb unjustified price increases, stabilize prices and reduce the burden on patients. The ministry has already published a list of over-the-counter products, but has not done so for prescription drugs – despite this, a list has been leaked from professional sources, naming eight popular, regularly used medicines.

According to Blikk, the price restriction applies to the following prescription medicines:

Condrosulf 800 mg tablets and granules – for the treatment of osteoarthritis

Flector Rapid 500 mg granules – anti-inflammatory, pain and fever reducer

Meforal 1000 mg film-coated tablets – for the treatment of diabetes

Merckformin XR 1000 mg retard tablets – also for diabetics

Cataflam 50 mg coated tablets – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory

Chinotal 400 mg film-coated tablets – for the treatment of circulatory disorders

Concor 5 mg film-coated tablets – for high blood pressure and coronary artery disease

Condrosulf and Flector Rapid are available in several packages, these are listed under separate registration numbers, thus forming the ten-drug number.

The ministry previously emphasized that the aim of the move is to curb the further increase in the prices of the most important medicines for the population. As a result of the measure, pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers and pharmacies have also undertaken to return prices for selected products to the level of 31 December 2024 and maintain them until 30 June 2026.

The measure applies exclusively to non-subsidised products whose pricing is based on the market – i.e. those that do not have an officially set price and are not financed by social security. The voluntary restriction is also noteworthy because the actors themselves committed themselves to fixing the price level, despite their market role.

The list of 34 affected over-the-counter medicines has already been published; these include frequently used drugs such as NeoCitran, Algopyrin, Nurofen, Coldrex, or Strepsils products.

The measure – at least in the initial period – will probably have a reassuring effect on consumers, however, due to inflationary pressure and fluctuations in import prices, it is questionable how sustainable these levels can be in the long term. In any case, the ministry indicated that further consultations are expected with players in the pharmaceutical sector in order to ensure that the supply of medicines remains available to the public at affordable prices.