Uzbekistan cuts prices of nearly 6,500 medicines, pharmaceutical agency head says

Uzbekistan has cut the prices of nearly 6,500 medicines so far, and some drugs are now 40-60 percent cheaper. Abdulla Azizov, head of the Agency for Pharmaceutical Sector Development, said so in an interview with media at a world summit in Samarkand on investing in children's well-being.

Azizov said price changes are being made in stages. Those announced on 1 December 2025 took effect on 1 March 2026 and initially covered 2,000 medicines; a further 2,000 were added from 1 July, and about 2,000 more after a September review. The main goal, he said, is to prevent artificial price increases, as cutting all prices at once by 30 percent could push some drugs off the market.

From January to August, nearly 670 medicines were not imported, but almost all had alternatives; only 38 had no substitute. Azizov also acknowledged that the electronic prescription system is not yet fully operational.