Kazakhstan's Ministry of Health has drafted an order titled "On Determining Biopharmaceutical Products Intended to Meet State Needs." The document was drawn up in line with Paragraph 2 of Article 19-2 of the Republic of Kazakhstan's Law "On Biological Safety" and aims to reduce import dependence, preserve domestic production of specialized medicines and ensure the country's readiness for epidemiological emergencies, infohub.kz reports.
According to the explanatory note accompanying the draft, having a guaranteed domestic source of specialized medicines will make it possible to ensure rapid laboratory response when outbreaks of infection occur.
The draft order explains that domestic products are also needed for epidemiological and epizootological monitoring, as well as for maintaining the constant readiness of specialized laboratories and anti-epidemic services.
"Keeping the production of specialized biopharmaceutical products within the country should reduce dependence on imported supplies and the associated risk of shortages," the authors of the draft order emphasized.
Such risks are particularly relevant amid epidemiological emergencies, emergency situations, restrictions on international logistics or a sharp rise in demand for specialized medicines.
A domestic production base would make it possible, if necessary, to quickly produce the required batches of products and build up a reserve for state needs.
The draft order is intended to ensure technological independence and the constant readiness of the system, reduce import dependence and secure a stable supply of specialized biopharmaceutical products to state organizations.
The document thus provides for the creation of a regulatory framework for identifying the products that must be available to the state on a permanent basis to carry out biological safety tasks.