Bulgarian Ministry of Health urges price caps on Naloxone

The Bulgarian Ministry of Health has issued an urgent appeal to pharmaceutical companies to establish maximum prices for Naloxone, a life-saving antidote used to counteract opioid overdoses. This initiative is driven by the increasing threat of fentanyl and other highly dangerous synthetic opioids entering the Bulgarian market.

Naloxone is critical because it can rapidly reverse life-threatening effects, such as respiratory depression, where every minute is vital for survival. To facilitate faster access, the Ministry is encouraging companies to apply for price ceilings through the National Council on Prices and Reimbursement of Medicinal Products.

The Ministry noted that this specific administrative procedure is streamlined compared to the standard process for including drugs on the Positive Drug List, requiring fewer documents and lower administrative fees. The goal is to ensure the medication is both financially accessible and readily available for emergency response to combat the rising risk of fatal overdoses.