Rachid Maboudi
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6:35 p.m. – January 24, 2025
Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister Delegate in charge of the budget, expressed his indignation at the exorbitant margins applied to the prices of medicines in Morocco which can reach up to 300% in pharmacies. During a study day organized by the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM, employers) on the new features of the 2025 finance law, Thursday January 23, he declared that “there is no problem with drug importers making a profit margin of 10%, but seeing prices rise unjustifiably to such high levels is unacceptable.”
Mr Lekjaa stressed that medicines represent a considerable burden for social protection systems across the world. He also recalled the progress made by the Moroccan authorities in reforming the sector despite delays linked to recent institutional changes, such as the creation of the National Medicines Agency (ANM). The minister announced, at the same time, “the imminent resumption of discussions on the subject of medicines with clear and precise objectives.” He insisted that domestic production of medicines “must remain authentic and not limit itself to import activities under the pretext of commercial prospects, especially from countries like Egypt.”
While recognizing that importers can legitimately negotiate medicines and obtain a reasonable margin, Mr. Lekjaa condemned the colossal discrepancies between the prices declared at customs and the prices charged in pharmacies. According to him, “Such abuses undermine the goal of equitable access to medicines for citizens.”
The minister also mentioned cases where medicines in Morocco “are sold at prices three or four times higher than their equivalents on international markets.” He insisted “on the need to align the prices of locally produced medicines with global standards while warning against the use of monopoly situations to impose unjustified prices.”
-On domestic production, Lekjaa urged more investment in the local pharmaceutical industry to reduce dependence on imports. However, he recognized that certain drugs, impossible to produce locally in the short term, “must continue to be imported to ensure availability and competitiveness.” However, he firmly pleaded to protect local industry, calling for preventing any drift that would favor imports to the detriment of the efforts of Moroccan companies.
Finally, Mr. Lekjaa denounced the fact that certain medicines, although imported at low prices, “are resold in Morocco at prices significantly higher than their initial value, thus creating an unbearable burden for citizens and the health system.”
Morocco
