Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union

Pharmacists in Bulgaria are preparing to protest against a recently passed bill that permits the sale of medicines through vending machines. The bill, which has been approved in its first reading in parliament, aims to provide 24/7 access to over-the-counter medications.

Pharmacies across Bulgaria are facing temporary closures on July 3 due to planned protests by pharmacists against proposed changes to their payment structure by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Hundreds of residents of small settlements in Bulgaria continue to be without access to medicines.

According to data from the Executive Medicines Agency, by 2021 the number of pharmacies in our country was 3,300, with a third of them concentrated in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna.

The "We Continue the Change" alliance, whose mandate is likely to form a government along with three other formations, wants to have its own man in each ministry. Their task will be to monitor the work of each department, Daniel Lorer told BTV today, who is reported to be the Minister of Innovation and Growth.

The Minister of Health Stoycho Katsarov, representatives of the professional and patient organizations called on the citizens to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We are here to express our common concern, we are all facing a huge threat and joint action is needed, said Minister Katsarov.

Bulgarians live seven years less than citizens of the most developed countries in the European Union.

There is a problem with medicines like Clexan and Fraxiparin for example.

There are objective reasons for their absence, but this must be discussed. Neglecting the problem will not solve it.

This was stated in an interview by Prof. Asena Serbezova - Chairwoman of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union.

On the market there are nutritional supplements for weight loss with banned substances, warn the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union. Most often they are available online.

There is a risk that patients will be left without medications during the holidays, pharmacists have warned, quoted by bTV.

The reason is that the Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has not paid the nearly BGN 70 million  to pharmacies for November and postponed the payment for next year.

The Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union has unveiled an electronic map of pharmacies and chemist's shops in the country to help customers find their way to the nearest point of sale, bTV reported on Tuesday.