Bulgaria’s Government Takes Urgent Measures against Parallel Trade of Medicines

Bulgaria’s government on 13^th of December adopted urgent measures to tackle parallel trade with medicines.

The most important change is the introduction of an electronic system that will monitor the movement of all medicines on the territory of Bulgaria from their entry across borders, through the big retail chains, through the small pharmacies and, of course, to the medical establishments. The other major change to the Medicines Act is the introduction of sanctions. Fines to significant sizes will be imposed on offenders.

Small pharmacies will be fined BGN 10,000 for first-time violations and in case of a second one, the fine will be BGN 20 000. The big distributors of medicines will be sanctioned by BGN 25 000 for first-time offence. Their licenses will be withdrawn in the in the event of second-time offence.

The other change will include introduction of two positive drug lists. The Minister of Health Kiril Ananiev has explained that one of the lists will be for medicines, the export of which could be temporarily limited in the event of identified shortage. The other list will be for pharmaceuticals, for which the whole-sale traders had informed the Executive Medical Drug Agency in the period of previous three months that they will export medicines from Bulgaria.