Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The EUROUZ Committee on Healthcare and Life Sciences, in collaboration with leading government organizations in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, representatives from analytical centers, both chambers of the Uzbek parliament, the EU diplomatic corps, and more than 20 European companies held an international roundtable on the development of the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. 

The focus was on deepening the cooperation between the private and public sectors in these areas in Uzbekistan and exploring the role of European companies in this process.

The purpose of the event was to discuss the current state of the pharmaceutical industry in Uzbekistan, identify opportunities for deepening cooperation between Uzbekistan and the European Union, and determine the main barriers to this cooperation. During the roundtable, participants shared experiences, discussed new approaches to industry development, and opportunities for implementing advanced European technologies in the Uzbek market, and exchanged views on the current issues where interaction and cooperation need to be strengthened.

Creating favorable conditions for investment and partnership between Uzbek and European pharmaceutical companies were also mentioned. Several EUROUZ member companies proposed initiatives to improve the regulatory framework, which would facilitate European companies’ access to the local market and accelerate the process of introducing quality European pharmaceuticals in Uzbekistan. 

The EUROUZ Healthcare and Life Sciences Committee Roundtable was organized for the second time since December 2023, becoming a new, unique platform for dialogue and exchange of opinions between representatives of the private sector and government organizations. This undoubtedly contributes to strengthening international cooperation and supporting sustainable development of the pharmaceutical sector in Uzbekistan.

It was the first time when the leading analytical centers in Uzbekistan - the Development Strategy Center of Uzbekistan and the Center for Progressive Reforms (CPR) collaborated with EUROUZ in the organization of the roundtable. This partnership has transformed the committee’s work into a unified and unique platform for extensive yet targeted dialogue among all sector stakeholders: from global pharmaceutical manufacturers to national regulators, representatives of the executive and legislative branches. Additionally, it facilitated efforts to identify current opportunities and barriers for deepening cooperation, and to begin developing specific recommendations and mechanisms to overcome these barriers. 

Z. Vakhidov, the Chairman of the EUROUZ on Healthcare and Life Sciences Committee and managing partner of "Vakhidov & Partners" law firm stated that "the EUROUZ Committee on Healthcare and Life Sciences has already established itself as a reliable and effective platform for exchanging knowledge, experience, and opinions between government and public organizations in Uzbekistan on one side, and European companies and the expert community on the other, in the interest of developing the healthcare and pharmaceutical systems of Uzbekistan." 

M. Aslanov, the director of the Center for Progressive Reforms (CPR), noted: "In the context of past incidents of poisoning and deaths due to medications in Uzbekistan, there is an increasing public demand for the prompt resolution of issues related to the safety of pharmaceuticals. The development of public-private partnerships, including through deepening dialogue through platforms such as today’s roundtable, leads to obtaining additional feedback for improving the effectiveness of state assessments and determining the bioequivalence of drugs, implementing high ethical standards in prescribing medications, and ensuring transparency in state procurement in this area. These are crucial for advancing the pharmaceutical industry and the healthcare sector as a whole."

E. Tulyakov, Director of the Development Strategy Center of Uzbekistan also commented on the event: "The active participation of the private sector in the healthcare system of Uzbekistan is a key element for achieving the strategic goals outlined in the ‘Uzbekistan-2030’ Strategy. Private investments and innovations are necessary for the modernization of medical institutions, the introduction of advanced technologies, and the improvement of the quality of medical services, which ultimately contributes to increasing the life expectancy of the population in Uzbekistan (Goal #13). Global practice shows that significant progress in this area cannot be achieved without the participation of the private sector. In this regard, the ‘Uzbekistan-2030’ Strategy includes tasks such as increasing the share of the non-governmental sector in all areas to 85 percent (Goal #56) and digitizing medical institutions to 100 percent (Goal #21)."