Vietnam Government Allows 4 Hospitals to Receive 255,000 Cancer Medicines

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has approved the imports of 255,000 Glivec cancer medicine pills, sponsored by Swiss Pharmacy Novartis Pharma Services AG, to one hospital in Hanoi and three others in Ho Chi Minh City. Deputy PM Dam granted clearance for these medicines in accordance with the old Resolution 47, instead of the replacement Resolution 54, in an urgent document sent to the Ministry of Health and hospitals. Patients in the hospitals, namely the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Hanoi, Cho Ray Hospital, Oncology Hospital and Hospital of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Ho Chi Minh City, may receive the medicines in 15 days. The commercial price of Glivec is VND442,000 ($19.4) per tablet while the price for its alternative named Tasgina is VND707,000 per tablet. (Vietnam News Jan 17, Tuoi Tre –Youth Jan 17, Soha Jan 17, VietnamNet Jan 17, Thanh Nien – Young People Jan 17, VOV Jan 17)