The Ministry of Health is pleased: prices for the most in-demand prescription medicines in Latvia decreased by an average of 17% last year.
But the most noticeable price decrease is observed for medications costing more than 10 euros, while in the group of the cheapest medicines, a price increase has been recorded. In the group of medicines costing up to 5 euros, the average price has increased by 50 cents.
“We constantly monitor the situation as a whole and are aware of the difficulties in the low price segments. Therefore, starting from the middle of this year, we will introduce compensation mechanisms for first-group disabled individuals and medicines costing up to 10 euros, providing greater support for socially vulnerable groups of the population,” said Hosam Abu Meri, the Minister of Health.
What exactly does this mean? Currently, patients pay an additional 75 cents for the “pharmacist's service.” In the future, it is planned that for cheap medicines (up to 10 euros), this service will be covered by the state. And patients with first-group disabilities will be completely exempt from paying for the pharmacist's service.
But this is only planned for the second half of 2026. And for now? As always. The rescue of drowning people is the responsibility of the drowning themselves.
