Import substitution: experts on the veterinary industry at a round table in St. Petersburg
On September 22, the round table named "Import Substitution - Expectation and Reality" was held as part of the Baltic Forum of Veterinary Medicine and Food Security.
Timur Chibilyaev, Executive Director of the National Veterinary Association, spoke about the current state of the Russian market of veterinary drugs. The crucial factor in this matter is the enactment of the law requiring manufacturers to comply with the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements, certified by Rosselkhoznadzor. All domestic sites continue operations - they were audited for GMP compliance during licensing, at the beginning of their operations, and verify compliance at least once every three years. Of the 160 sites of foreign manufacturers whose veterinary drugs are registered in the Russian Federation:
- 37 already have a Russian GMP;
- 23 have been audited, are currently preparing or obtaining approval for a CAPA plan, and are expecting to receive a certificate;
- 25 have filed applications and are expecting to be audited;
- 75 are in contemplation.
Manufacturers with operations in the EAEU countries and holding an EAEU GMP certificate are expected to receive the same rights as Russian manufacturers under contractual obligations of Russia by November.
Mr. Alexander Velichko, Head of the Government Relations Department of VIC Group, reported the achievements of domestic veterinary drug manufacturers in securing import-independence. He explained that 12 Russian companies now produce 88% of veterinary products. Thanks to the simplified procedure for the veterinary drugs introduction into the civil turnover, domestic manufacturers managed to launch new products on the market more intensively. The All-Russian State Center for Quality and Standardization of Medicines for Animals and Feed reports that 290 preparations were registered in 2022-2023, 130 of them were registered under the simplified procedure, and these figures are proportionally growing. "Modern environment, including the vacated niche for veterinary drugs, has opened new opportunities for us, which should not be missed. Effective import substitution requires special state support - placing the largest domestic producers on the list of industry-forming manufacturers, as well as non-financial assistance - faster commissioning of new production facilities, faster registration of new drugs," Alexander Velichko believes. Given all the above, Russia will reach 85% import independence for vaccines and antiparasitic drugs by 2027, for antibiotics - by 2025, for coccidiostatics and hormonal drugs by 2026. VIC Group also plans to add 9000 square meters of production space to the current 18000 sq. m. by 2026. The new sites will produce about 100 drugs from various chemical-pharmacological groups.