Drug producers warn Romania may stop making essential drugs

Romania will stop producing essential drugs in two years if the Government and ruling coalition refuse to get involved in a debate on the price of drugs and the clawback tax, according to PRIMER, a local association representing industrial drug manufacturers in Romania. “We ask the PSD-ALDE ruling coalition and the Dancila government to get involved in the projects and debates on drug prices and the clawback tax. Otherwise, in two years, Romania risks not being able to produce essential medicine and patients will have difficulties in finding even the most basic treatment,” PRIMER said in a press release, cited by local News.ro. The only medicines that have disappeared from the market in the last three years are cheap drugs, under RON 25, which can’t be sold anymore due to a wrong and discriminatory price methodology, the doubling of the clawback tax and higher “shelf tax”, according to PRIMER executive director Dragos Damian. Moreover, between 2006 and 2016, local factories have reduced their production by 40% due to the Health Ministry’s policies, on which the producers haven’t been consulted. Damian pointed out that the 30 drug producers in Romania export their products in over 100 countries but have been ignored by the Health Ministry. editor@romania-insider.com