The Association of Independent Pharmacies of Armenia conducted a study in drug circulation in Armenia and Georgia and received a worrying result. The association reports about this on its Facebook page.

The following data were considered for comparison:

  • According to the 2019 census, the population of Georgia is 3,723,500.
  • As of July 1, 2022, the population of Armenia is 2,961,900.
  • In other words, in terms of percentage, the population of Armenia is about 26% less than that of Georgia

Information on drug circulation in Georgia:

  • According to the data of 2021, a total of $382,000,000 worth of medicines were imported into Georgia; compared to the previous year, the import increased by 16.8%.
  • As of 2022, 10,450 branded drugs are registered in Georgia
  • There are 3,213 licensed pharmacies in Georgia, of which 927 belong to three large pharmacy chains.
  • From March 2022, the government of Georgia has decided to allow the import of medicines manufactured in Turkey according to the GMP norms. According to the head of the Georgian government, as a result of that decision, the prices of these drugs in the market decreased by 60-80%
  • From 2023, the government of Georgia has set an upper maximum threshold for drug sales

Comparison with Armenia according to population:

  • The population of Armenia is 26% less than that of Georgia. It turns out that at least 8,300 named drugs should be registered in Armenia. But let us remind you that more than 5,500 named drugs have never been registered in Armenia, and at the moment about 3,350 named drugs are registered.
  • There are 2,620 licensed pharmacies in Armenia
  • The annual turnover of drugs in Georgia is $382,000,000, whereas in Armenia—$125,000,000.
  • In other words, the number of pharmacies in proportion to the population is almost the same, but in neighboring Georgia, about three times more drugs are imported and sold. There are also virtually three times more registered drugs.

It is hard to imagine that in Georgia they use three times more medicine, or in Armenia they get sick three times less. These noteworthy data prove a truth: some of the drugs circulating in Georgia have been consumed by Armenian citizens for years, concludes the Association of Independent Pharmacies of Armenia.