Romanian Health Minister calls for urgent meeting with EU counterparts

Romanian Health Minister Florian Bodog calls for an urgent meeting with his counterparts in the European Union, to stop parallel pharmaceutical drug exports.

After alerts related to the possible withdrawal of pharmaceutical products from the Romanian market, the minister sent a letter to his counterpart in Estonia - a country now holding the rotating presidency of the EU Council – that contained this request.

This year, the Romanian Ministry of Health has taken several legal measures to prevent the phenomenon, especially for the vaccines and pills distributed through national health programs.

In addition, Florian Bodog pleaded for the need for a fundamental change in the European rules on the marketing of pharmaceutical drugs, so that the patients' interest and rights really take precedence over commercial interests:

Florian Bodog: "What worries me very much is that pharmaceutical companies complain, on the one hand, that cheap medicinal products in Romania are being exported abroad and are thus spoiling their market in the European countries that have higher prices than we do, but at the same time we have information according to which they are involved in parallel export.

This is why I called for the urgent summoning of the European Council of Health Ministers, to establish a regulation at European level.

I believe that pharmaceutical drug is not a commodity. It is a medicinal product that every patient must have in his country."

Minister Florian Bodog also said that the Romanian medical system is currently outdated and has deficiencies in taking over patients who have suffered burns.

However, steps are being taken to equip the specialized units in Iaşi and Timişoara with the necessary technology, the minister said.

Source: RRA.Translated by Miruna Matei