MOSCOW, July 2. /TASS/. Russia’s import of medical products fell by 4.5 percentage points in 2023, which is related to development of the country’s manufacturing of cheaper and more competitive products among other things, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said.

"In 2023, a decrease in import of medical products by 4.5 [percentage] points was registered. This is related both to development of Russia’s manufacturing of cheaper and more competitive products and to a decline in actual demand for such products after roaring demand in 2022," she said at a strategic session on the national project devoted to medicine.

As a result, the average annual growth of the volume of industrial production of pharmaceuticals and medical products exceeds that in other sectors of the economy, bringing it to the third spot among other sectors, Golikova noted.