medicines

Romanian Health Minister Victor Costache appointed Dr. Roxana Stroe as the new interim head of the National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Romania (ANMDMR), until a new full-time chief will be appoint by contest.

A new medicine against AIDS is available in Romania and is recommended to patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which became resistant to other treatments, Sorin Petrea, director of medical development at infectious disease institute Matei Bals, said Friday.

A draft decision of Romania’s Government states medicines needed for the ambulatory treatment of cancer patients included into the national health program will be available starting July 1 in pharmacies belonging to the healthcare units involved in the program.

Romanian pharmacists will be on go-slow strike Tuesday and Wednesday in protest they did not receive the money from health insurance authorities for the medicines sold in the last five months, and ask the Government to find solutions.

Romanian social democrat leader Mircea Geoana on Tuesday said the setting up of a national pharmaceutical company to include state-owned pharmaceutical company Antibiotice Iasi (ATB.RO) and the Bucharest Cantacuzino Institute could attract additional financial resources.

About half of Romanian pharmacies risk not being able to pay their debts to medicine suppliers and the state budget by the end of the year, after the government gave health insurance houses six months to pay their bills instead of three, the Romanian Pharmacists’ College said Wednesday.