Internet Platform for Missing Drugs Signals was presented by BAMPTD at the Federation of Bulgarian Patient Forum
The first online missing-drug warning platform was presented to patients at the 7th Federation of Bulgarian Patients' Forum Conference. It was created by the Bulgarian Association for Medicines Parallel Trade Development of (BAMPTD) and is now available 24 hours a day. Its demonstration was part of a joint action program between BAMPTD and the patients' organization, signed in a Memorandum of Cooperation by Ivan Dimitrov - Chairman of the Board of Directors of FBPF and Boryana Marinkova - Executive Director of BAMPTD.
The Federation of Bulgarian Patients' Forum and BAMPTD declared joining their efforts to establish a cooperation program for guaranteed access of Bulgarian patients to therapy. The organizations will unite to fight for an effective regulatory framework to allow rapid delivery in case of proven drug shortages and regulating parallel import of medicines that are unregistered for non-drug-safety related reasons.
The main objectives of the cooperation are to achieve a lasting solution of the availability of medicinal products, to increase access to medicines at favorable prices with guaranteed origin and quality from EEA, to create access for Bulgarian patients to medicines withdrawn from Bulgaria due to lack of commercial interest, widespread use of modern methods of early detection of shortages, etc.
On its website www.parallel-trade-development.org BAMPTD will support the shortage hotline through its nationwide drug alert online platform that will benefit patients till launching the Electronic System of the Bulgarian Drug Agency. The Association urges patients to submit their signals through a convenient form that requires filling in only a residential area, a telephone for feedback and a sought medicine.
During the conference Boryana Marinkova held a discussion with the members of the FBPF on the multifactorial causes of shortages in the world and presented the possibilities of the parallel import for access to lower prices of medicinal products with additional guarantee of origin and safety. The necessary legislative changes for fast intra-community supplies in case of shortages as well as the use of the parallel distribution for deliveries of unregistered medicinal products withdrawn from Bulgaria due to lack of commercial interest on the part of the producers were also discussed.
MEMORANDUM OF COOPERATION
Today, June 9, 2018, led by the drive to ensure access to effective medicines for the patients in Bulgaria and to maximize the benefits for the society from Bulgarian EU membership through the fundamental principle of free movement of people, goods and services, was signed this Memorandum of Cooperation between:
FEDERATION "BULGARIAN PATIENTS' FORUM", represented by Ivan Dimitrov - Chairman of the Management Board, with address: Sofia, 15, Denkoglu str., Ent. B, fl. 1, UIC: 175742618, on the one hand, and
BULGARIAN ASSOCIATION FOR MEDICINES PARALLEL TRADE HE DEVELOPMENT (BAMPTD), represented by Boryana Marinkova - Executive Director, with address: Sofia, 63, Shipchenski Prohod Blvd., UIC: 176624081 on the other hand.
I. MEMORANDUM SUBJECT
Art. 1. The Parties declare their will and commitment to unite their actions to establish a cooperation program for guaranteed access for Bulgarian patients to therapy.
Art. 2. The Parties declare their readiness to make optimal use of BAMPTD Internet platform for reporting missing medicines by disseminating information on its use to its structures at national and regional levels, including through the mass media.
Art. 3. The Parties declare their dedication to the protection of public interest and unite for joint action to establish an effective regulatory framework to allow rapid intra-community supplies under proven shortages of medicines and regulating parallel import of medicines that are deregistered due to unrelated with drug safety reasons.
Art. 4. In achieving the objectives, the Parties will be guided by the following priorities:
• Establishment of a constructive dialogue and cooperation between BAMPTD and FBPF to achieve a durable solution for the provision of medicinal products;
• Expanding the access of Bulgarian patients to affordable medicines with guaranteed origin and quality from the European Union;
• Providing Bulgarian patients with access to medicines withdrawn from Bulgaria due to lack of commercial interest;
• Wide use of modern early detection methods and in particular the BAMPTD Internet platform for alerts on shortages of medicines;
• Active participation in the discussion on effective and complying with EU legislation on access to medicines.
Art. 5. In order to achieve the announced priorities, the Parties will use different forms of cooperation:
• Implementing joint projects to ensure patients' access to medicines;
• Exchange of information and expertise;
• Partnership in organizing and conducting patient, media and industry events;
• Using the competences of the parties to improve the regulatory framework through conscious opinions and positions;
• Other forms of cooperation.
II. FINAL PROVISIONS
Art. 6. All amendments to the Memorandum shall be valid only if they are made in writing and signed by the duly authorized representatives of both Contracting Parties.
For FBPF : For BAMPTD:
Ivan Dimitrov Boryana Marinkova