Romanians have to cover 40 percent of the cost of drugs they buy, as the country is among the last in Europe for the support that the state offers patients who need drugs, according to the Romanian Association of International Drug Producers (ARPIM).

Romania is however in a better position than Bulgaria, where patients have to pay more than 70 percent of the cost of drugs, but ranks much worse than the European average of 20 percent. By comparison, in the Netherlands, patients only pay 0.7 percent of the cost of drugs, the French, 1.2 percent and the Germans, 5.4 percent.

"In our country, offsetting of the cost of drugs ​​by the National Health Insurance House is only done for the cheapest generic medicine," said Cristian Lutan, deputy executive director ARPIM.

Romania ranks among last on the percentage of GDP allocated to health - 3.84 percent, well below the European average, which is 9 percent. “Unfortunately, health is seen as an expense by the Romanian authorities, and not as an investment, and efficiency is understood as a reduction of costs, without taking into account that a sick and rapidly aging population affects the country's chances to escape economic crisis,"  said Cristian Luţan.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com