Romanian Health Min Holds Ground On Drug Price Freeze

Nicolaescu made this statement as a reply to information according to which medicine distributors and importers are pressuring hospital managers, for the hike of medicine prices by values ranging between 10% and 12%.

"I have heard about an importer and distributor campaign for the hike of medicine prices, based on additional documents," Nicolaescu stated.

He said that, in this case, there are two situations. The first one targets medicine that, after auctions, has prices lower than the one registered in CANAMED (the national medicine catalogue).

"In this case, the price for the mentioned medicine can be hiked, legally, until it reaches the CANAMED value," Nicolaescu said.

The second situation targets the illegal hike of medicine prices, namely the medicine with prices set through minister order.

"These are the medicine with prices set within a certain interval ever since May 2007, their value remaining unchanged for the first five months of 2008 as well, based on two minister orders. The managers who accept the hike in medicine price, even though the minister order has already set this value, will cover the difference on their own," Nicolaescu added.

Romania’s health minister Eugen Nicolaescu signed an order setting that prices for drugs are to remain unchanged for three months starting March 1.

"In fact, the order signed Friday, freezing drug prices for another three months, is an extension of an older order of May 2007. Specifically, starting May 2007, prices were frozen although the euro was low nearly the entire year," Nicolaescu told MEDIAFAX.

At the beginning of 2008, the minister signed an order to keep drug prices unchanged until Feb 29. The decision displeased importers and distributors who threatened to halt drug deliveries as the euro had touched RON3.7.

The minister ordered unannounced check-ups in drugstores and warehouses. The first signs indicated no sign of a drug crisis on the Romanian market. The minister then ordered a more ample, countrywide control operation.

"From the data we have so far and after a discussion with the ministry’ pharmaceutical department we decided to keep drug prices unchanged for an additional three months: March, April and May," Nicolaescu said.

He added that if drug deliveries were halted, he would extend the controls and involve the Financial Guard.

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