The method currently used to calculate drug prices, which is based on the average of the three lowest prices in 12 European Union member states, might only target medical drugs newly entered on the market, the association said in its press release Tuesday.
It also said the draft act drawn up by the country’s Health Ministry late October targets to freeze medical drug prices for another 12 months and keep prices at an undervalued exchange rate of 4 lei (EUR1=RON4.2968) to the euro. The ministry’s act amends Order 75/2009, enforced in April 2009, which says medical drug prices must be updated in November this year.
The association said it plans to work on an economically sustainable price calculation mechanism in accordance with European Union practices, the press release also read.
It also said it is fully aware of the economic deadlock the country is facing and stressed it is open to talks with decision-makers to take the necessary measures and adopt economically sustainable mechanisms to further ensure patients’ access to the medical drugs they need.
The Health Ministry set a fixed exchange rate of RON4 to the euro as of February 1, 2009 to calculate prices of human use medical drugs. As of April 1, it was adopted the lowest price in 12 EU countries, under the new calculation methodology of prices for prescription drugs.