Bulgaria’s Health Minister bans export of certain medicines

Bulgaria’s Minister of Health on April 30 issued an order to ban the export of certain medicines for the treatment of diseases of social significance - diabetes, schizophrenia and cancers.

The shortage of these drugs on the market will endanger the lives and health of a significant number of patients in the Republic of Bulgaria. Failure to observe or discontinue therapy assigned to these patients will result in a serious risk to their life and health, and change in therapy can only be made after additional laboratory tests and the need to see a doctor, which in a COVID-19 related state of emergency creates additional risk for these patients.

Moreover, patients suffering from cancer and diabetes fall into the risk categories of patients according to the World Health Organization bases on data collected about the COVID-19, the order states.

The export of certain ethanol-containing products is also prohibited. Ethanol-containing products are widely used for disinfection to prevent the spread of the disease and to protect the lives and health of citizens and healthcare professionals. Demand for such products has increased significantly since the introduction of the state of emergency in Bulgaria, and is still increasing at present.

The ban on the export of the medicinal products referred to in the order is effective until the state of emergency is cancelled. It was introduced by a decision of the Parliament as of 13 March 2020 and on April 3 the period of the state of emergency was extended.