The metamorphoses of denationalization of 1993. Report I. The market fight for medications import

In the history of the Russian pharmaceutical market the year of 1993 became the year of formation of rules of market relations and changing under them of market landscape. The significant segment of state-centralized purchases moved under responsibility of regional authorities and their health care authorities. At that, powers of three former state organizations being occupied with purchases of imported medications were distributed between new state companies of Ministry of Health and commercial organizations and firms that entered pharmaceutical market. This diversity rather soon gave rise to competitive fight for budget funds and experiments of Government with market regulation. The traces of these clashes and attempts to make market regulated can be found in Ministry of Health archives and journal publications. The Report I reveals circumstances of entrance of Ministry of Health into market relationships and its acquisition of market player identity.