Money allotted by the Government in emergency to morphine

According to the Government’s spokesperson , Dan Suciu, the government has allotted RON 750,000 out of the the Reserve Fund for cancer patients following a meeting on necessary medicines to cancer patients.

Associations of cancer patients require for a a long time the lack of necessary drugs.

By the pulling off the Romanian market of the Swiss company Mundipharma, a manufacturer of morphine and opium- based painkillers , cancer patients complain about the lack of morphine on market.

The chairman of the Federation of the Cancer Patients Association ,Cezar Irimia says that besides morphine eight essential medicines for cancer are lacking.

"Eight essential drugs in oncology treatment regimens currently completely missing in Romania. Cheap drugs that could help many patients to live.

Those oral and injecting anticancer drugs , morphine is the last issue that appeared on the Romanian market, the company's pulling out that led to upheaval our patients and the gaps in the supply of morphine to several counties, "said Cezar Irimia.

The head of the National Health Insurance Office ( CNAS)Lucian Dută, Wednesday gave assurances that the Swiss company, Mundipharma products are provided on the Romanian market in sufficient quantities by distribution companies that have on going contracts.

Mundifarma company, morphine manufacturing recently announced its pulling off the Romanian market mainly due to unbearable increased of clawback taxation and the delay at which drugs are refunded by manufacturers at over 340-360 days.

According to the National Health Insurance Office ( CNAS) over 10,000 patients are recorded in January.

In a statement of the National Health Insurance Office ( CNAS ) are also argues that the National Cancer Program has provided rhythmic funding and continues this year, with similar values of the previous year.

Translated by Denisse-Meda Bucura, MTTLC, Bucharest University