Epress.am News from Armenia
Xeloda, a chemotherapy drug used for the treatment of breast and colorectal cancers, has been unavailable in Armenian pharmacies for more than a month. As reported by local “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily, the drug has actually been imported by pharmaceutical importer and distributor Vaga Pharm more than a month ago; however, the company has been unable to clear it through customs.
In an interview with “Haykakan Zhamanak,” Vaga Pharm Director Vahe Varsanyan said the inability to get the drug though customs is caused by Armenian Minister of Health Armen Muradyan's decree from September 22 with which the pharmaceutical company has been banned from importing Xeloda from Switzerland.
The Minister's order was based on an Armenian Drug and Medical Technology Expertise Center conclusion, according to which, Xeloda registered in Armenia has a three-year expiration date, while the recently imported batch has an expiry date of 2 years.
The officials' argument, as stated by Varsanyan, is absurd and cannot serve as basis for prohibiting the entry of the drug into the country. The Vaga Pharm Director stated that Xeloda has had a two-year expiration date for years, and it has never caused any problems. Moreover, a 2006 decree of the Minister of Health, Varsanyan stressed, provides that expiration date changes or reductions do not require re-registration.