Checks have begun on medical suppliers in Uzbekistan following appeals from pharmacy chains. Complaints state that wholesale suppliers compel pharmacies to purchase additional medicines that were not originally ordered.
The Competition Committee is examining the possibility of violations and warns pharmaceutical companies that imposing additional conditions may result in financial penalties.
According to agency data, 305 companies imported medicines into the country during the first nine months of 2026. The five largest importers accounted for 47.2% of the total import volume.
The Committee also drew attention to the dynamics of pharmacy infrastructure development. As of October 1, 2026, there were 14.6 thousand pharmacies operating in the country, including 449 wholesale and over 14 thousand retail ones. There was a decrease in the number of main retail pharmacies from 8.5 thousand in 2023 to 7.9 thousand, but the number of their branches increased from 4.6 thousand to 6.2 thousand.
The agency emphasizes that the practice of imposing additional goods can negatively affect small businesses, restrict their operations, and hinder fair competition. A typical example is when a supplier offers to sell a necessary drug to a pharmacy only on the condition that it also purchases other unrequested medicines.
Legislation enshrined in the 'Competition Law' directly prohibits the abuse of dominant position. Specifically, it is unacceptable to impose additional conditions on counterparties by forcing them to buy goods unrelated to the initial transaction or refusing cooperation with this supplier's competitors.
If violations are confirmed, companies may be subject to financial sanctions. The amount of these fines can reach 5% of the revenue generated from goods sales during the period of violation, but cannot exceed the sum for the last three years.
Currently, the Competition Committee continues to study the situation in the wholesale drug trade market in detail. If it is established that the forced sale of unsolicited medicines constitutes a violation of the law, suppliers will face legal liability.
Previously, in Tashkent pharmacies, cases of selling medicines at prices significantly exceeding established maximum limits were identified during 'mystery shopper' checks.
