ADRFR: Half Of Pharmacies In Romania Might Close Down In The Next Year

06.23.2015 By Gabriela Stan

Half of pharmacies in Romania might be closed in the upcoming year if medicine prices fall too much without harmonization with the clawback tax, Robert Popescu, head of the Association of Pharmaceutical Distributors and Retailers in Romania (ADRFR), told the Mediafax Talks about Health Reform conference.

Popescu said that the setting up of the lowest European price for medicines in Romania, which is then impacted by the clawback tax, represents a mechanism which could not trigger economic health for the pharmaceutical operators, either international or local producers, distributors or pharmacies.

In his opinion, there will be an advantage for the “patient’s pocket”, but, from the point of view of the costs for National Health Insurance Fund, there will be no direct savings, but indirect ones, as the companies will pay a lower clawback tax.

Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu stated Monday that Romania will have the lowest price for medicines in Europe as of July 1, after the procedure to cut medicine prices by 20% was completed.