Medvedev wants criminal penalties for swine flu drug price hikes
 MOSCOW, Moscow Region, Nov 6 (PRIME-TASS) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday called for imposing criminal penalties for pharmaceutical companies increasing prices for drugs related to the ongoing A/H1N1 influenza epidemic, ITAR-TASS reported.
A/H1N1 influenza is also known as swine flu.
"Cashing in on the epidemic is a real crime and it should be punished," he said at a meeting with Healthcare and Social Development Minister Tatyana Golikova. "Criminal, not administrative, penalties should be applied to such corporate executives."
Medvedev said he would instruct the Federal Antimonopoly Service and the Prosecutor General's Office to investigate what he saw as speculation on the swine flu-related drugs market.
Prosecutor General Yury Chaika on Friday instructed prosecutors to probe all unjustified drug price hikes.
Meanwhile, Golikova said that the swine flu vaccine would be supplied starting from Saturday and vaccination would start on November 9.
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06.11.2009 18:51
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