On 21 July 2020, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Law ‘On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan’. The law was passed by the Legislative Chamber on May 1, 2020 and approved by the Senate on June 19, 2020.

Article 186³ of the Criminal Code (Production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation for the purpose of marketing or marketing of substandard or falsified medicines or medical products, the sale of medicines or medical products outside pharmacies and their branches, as well as for violation of the procedure for retail sale of prescription drugs containing potent substances) was supplemented by a fifth item.

In accordance with this article, violation of the procedure for retail sale of medicinal products containing potent substances, if such an act is committed after the imposition of an administrative penalty or especially in large quantities, a fine is imposed from one hundred to three hundred basic calculable amount or punishment with correctional labor for up to three years, or restriction of liberty for a term of from two to five years, or imprisonment for up to five years.

In accordance with paragraph 4 of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated September 6, 2019 No. PP-4438 ‘On strengthening measures to prevent illegal trafficking of medicines’, administrative and criminal liability are increased for violation of the rules for the sale of medicines and medical products, including liability for violation of the procedure for dispensing prescription drugs.

Press Office, the Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency