Romanian Medicine Distributors Cease Deliveries, Pharmacies Near Stock-Outs

"The alarm signal was triggered by the fact that, despite messages of security issued by the Ministry of Health, distributors halted deliveries, whose price is damaged by the devaluation, while medicine stocks in pharmacies are about top be depleted. The analysis conducted by the Council also revealed that this crisis situation is also worsened by the fact that, since medicine are supposed to be prescribed with their commercial names, pharmacists cannot replace the medicine they lack with similar ones,” the press release states.

 

Pharmacists said this obligation was reintroduced in Romania in 2008, even though throughout Europe generic substitution is encouraged in pharmacies, with the purpose of protecting patients and lowering health insurance expenses.

 

The elimination of ceilings in pharmacies, requested by pharmacists for years in a row, was not doubled by mandatory alternative measures, such as prescription budgets, and this will have an impact on the 2009 medicine budget, when, especially since the current crisis will cease medicine consumption, it will grow exponentially, without budget coverage, said the quoted source.

 

Pharmacists said the prices need to be immediately updated in accordance with the evolution of the exchange rates, medicine prescriptions need to use the common international name and prescription budgets need to be introduced as soon as possible. In addition, talks should be resumed regarding the revision of the entire price-setting method, with respect for European currency, which would ensure financial sustainability for operators in the system.

 

Representatives of the Romanian Association of Medicine Distributors and Importers and those of the Association of Medicine Distributors in Romania announced Wednesday they are ceasing the delivery and import of medicine, saying health minister Eugen Nicolaescu failed to keep his promises.

 

They added that the current available medicine stocks are in pharmacies, but when they are depleted they will no longer be able to supply the market. They asked Nicolaescu to recalculate the price with respect for the current exchange rates.