RSS
FIC: Romania approved only 50 new medicines in last 8-10 years, compared to 650 in EU
Romania approved only 50 new medicines in the last 8-10 years, compared to 650 approved in EU, the Foreign Investors Council (FIC) points out in a letter addressed to the authorities.
In this context, FIC recommends the increase of the budget allocated to medicines, based on objective measures by extending the contribution base for FNUASS budget or other transparent measures. Infrastructure of the health system must be rapidly modernized in Romania, the authorities accepting that available funds do not cover all needs and expenses should be prioritized.
“Although the health budget has grown in the last years, the level of funds allocated for infrastructure and equipments remained constant. At the same time budget for medicines was established at the level of consumption in quarter 4, 2011 and was maintained at that level. That is why we recommend the increase of the budget allocated for medicines based on objective measures by extending the contribution to FNUASS budget,” foreign investors mention.
“Medical treatments must remain in the Romanian market and patients must have access to them in due time not to affect their health. Patients must have rapid access to innovative medicines and therapies according to EU standards, Romania being below these standards. In the last 8-10 years Romania approved only 50 new medicines compared to 650 approved in EU”, FIC agencies shows.
In their opinion, citizens must have access to innovative treatments and reasonable standards, without discrimination.
FIC also points out that life expectancy in Romania is shorter than the European average and population ageing is expected, the share of citizens over 50 will grow from 36% in 2015 to 43% in 2020.
Romania’s ageing index has deteriorated by 39.7% in the last 13 years, growing from 80.2 in 2003 to 112.1 in 2016. There is a major risk for the sustainability of budgets dedicated to health because of imbalances coming from the volume of contributions (demographic dependence index is continuously growing from 46.4 in 2003 to 49 in 2016), the letter shows.
Moreover, life expectancy is lower than the European average, 79.05 for women and 72.09 for men, against 83.6 for women and 78.1 for men in Europe, while the child death rate is the highest in EU - 8.4/1,000 in Romania versus 3.7/1,000 EU average in 2014.
Over 2013-2016, Foreign Investors Council carried out the campaign “Physician in Romania”, meant to attract the people’s attention on the question of physicians’ migration.