Minister Lapinski urges: lower your prices or else no reimbursement

The Association of Pharmaceutical Companies (SPFF) and the Farmacja Polska Economic Chamber have appealed to the Prime Minister to "become personally engaged" in the actions of Health Minister Mariusz Lapinski. "We are surprised by announcements from the Health Ministry, which openly declares support for domestic production, at the cost of foreign companies. So far we have been assured that the Health Minister's aim is to ensure an efficient system of public health and not wage war against foreign investors," reads the letter sent to the Prime Minister. The appeal relates to recent proposals by Minister Lapinski, who suggested changes to the list of drugs refunded by the kasa chorych health funds, strengthening the position of Polish pharmaceuticals manufacturers. "Our statement is clear, lower your prices by 20%-30%, and you will be back on the lists," repeated Lapinski over the past few days. By the end of the week the Health Ministry should publish a list of reimbursed drugs, their prices and limits to which the health funds will subsidies them. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A3) A.K.