SOME MEDICATIONS WILL BECOME FREE OF CHARGE FROM FEBRUARY 1

A number of essential medications will become available for free in Moldovan pharmacies starting from February 1 announced Prime Minister Pavel Filip on Wednesday.

To benefit from free medicines, one has to present to the pharmacy a prescription from family doctor if the sum of compensation, established by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection exceeds the cost of the medication. Before the entrance into force of these provisions, the medications were just compensated (up to 70% from the cost).

Preparations for treating epilepsy, the Parkinson disease, diabetes, mental illnesses, bronchial asthma, glaucoma, cystic fibrosis and multiple sclerosis will be issued for free regardless of the cost.

Pharmacists are obliged to first of all propose to patients the free medications, while in case these are not available, these should be provided to the client within 72 hours since the moment of request. Also, the list of compensated medications should be prominently displayed.

Over the last three years, the Government doubled the list of compensated medications, whose number reached 148. Also, the age of children, who receive free medications, to 18 from 7.