First announced
in March, the cut in the prices of subsidised medicine will come into effect on
July 1st. A list of medicine whose price is 20% subsidised is to be
made public prior to the enforcement of the measure. Pharmacists are discontent
with the fact that the government order regulating subsidised medication and
the list of new prices is made public only one day before the measure comes
into force. The vice-chairman of the Pharmacists’ Board in Romania, Clara
Popescu, says pharmacies have very little time to establish the new prices and
create the new medicine lists:
It is
absurd to expect pharmacies to be ready to enforce the measure on July 1st.
They will not be able to enter thousands of medicines into their data bases in
a few hours.
Producers of
generic drugs warn that cutting prices may also have undesired consequences
such as the disappearance of very cheap drugs from the market. They say the
sale price may end up being lower than production costs. Producers have already
notified the ministry that they have put 1,200 products on their black list,
products used mainly to treat heart, digestive and rheumatic conditions and
which can be bought for a few lei in pharmacies. The cut may also entail an
increase in exports, which will not benefit Romanian patients. The state
secretary in the healthcare ministry, Dorel Sandesc told Radio Romania that the
authorities would take measures if necessary:
Parallel export has been practised and we cannot ignore the risk that it may
grow if medicines become cheaper. The healthcare ministry will, however, keep a
close eye on this phenomenon and block the export of essential drugs that could
endanger the treatment for Romanian patients. We will also punish all failure
by the public healthcare service to ensure the needed medication for the
Romanian patients.
Another
temporary consequence may be the increase in the price of non-subsidised
medication because pharmacies with large stocks of subsidised drugs will want
to compensate for the losses caused by the cut in the price of those drugs.
Pharmacists are even afraid of bankruptcy. Dorel Sandesc defends the measure,
saying it will save the healthcare fund money and allow the introduction of
new, revolutionary drugs.