Bulgarian pharmaceutical pricing and administration reform

The Bulgarian Ministry of Health has taken steps to address pharmaceutical accessibility and administrative restructuring. Initially, the Ministry issued an urgent appeal to pharmaceutical companies to implement price caps on Naloxone, an antidote used to reverse opioid overdoses. This move was prompted by the increasing presence of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in the Bulgarian market. The Ministry sought to use a streamlined administrative procedure through the National Council on Prices and Reimbursement of Medicinal Products to ensure the drug remains financially accessible.

Following these efforts, Health Minister Katya Ivkova announced a restructuring of the pharmaceutical pricing oversight. The functions of the National Council for Pricing and Reimbursement of Medicinal Products (NCPRP) are to be transferred directly to the Ministry of Health. The Ministry stated that this liquidation of the Council is intended to maintain institutional capacity and ensure that statutory timeframes for pricing decisions and the inclusion of drugs on the Positive Drug List are not disrupted. The transition is designed to comply with European Directive 89/105/EEC regarding transparency and efficiency.