Bulgaria Implements Emergency Ban on Insulin and Child Antibiotic Exports

Bulgaria's Minister of Health, Prof. Hristo Hinkov, has issued a crucial order prohibiting the export of essential medications, encompassing insulin, blood sugar-lowering drugs, and antibiotics for children. The decision, effective from today, November 2, will remain in place until December 31, 2023, aiming to address the alarming shortage of life-saving medicines.

The comprehensive order extends beyond insulin to include analogs, blood sugar-lowering drugs, and antibiotics intended for pediatric systemic use, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

Minister Hinkov's action followed urgent appeals from the Chairman of the Health Care Commission in the National Assembly, Kostadin Angelov, and the co-chairman of the DPS party, Delyan Peevski, who called for immediate measures to halt the export of these critical drugs.

This development is a response to a plea from more than 180 diabetes patients who raised concerns about a systemic shortage of two types of insulin available in the country's pharmacy network.

Elitsa Sirakova, the initiator of the patient's appeal, expressed her frustration, saying, "I want to have a guaranteed amount of insulin so that we can live peacefully and not wonder every month what we will do."

The issue of medication unavailability also took center stage during a press conference held by the Physicians' Union today. They reiterated their demand for the reinstatement of paper prescriptions for antidiabetic medicines and antibiotics to alleviate the crisis.