The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, and the Minister of Finance, Alexandru Nazare, discussed, on Thursday evening, in the United States of America, with representatives of the Pfizer company, in an attempt to find a solution for the 600 million euro debt that Romania has.
“As I said publicly, today, together with the Minister of Finance, Mr. Alexandru Nazare, I participated in the first exploratory negotiation meeting with the Pfizer company, in Washington DC. The discussions took place in a balanced, professional tone, focused on identifying concrete solutions for Romania. We are not just talking about a financial obligation, but about the responsibility to transform this situation into a real benefit for patients”. Alexandru Rogobete wrote on Facebook.
He announces that Romania’s proposal, formulated on the basis of the mandate received from the Government, was to continue the negotiations for the conversion of the amount owed into innovative medicines intended for oncological patients and those with rare diseases.
“I reiterated the importance of the health system and the solid partnership that Romania has had for decades with Pfizer, as well as the opening for the development of future collaborations in the field of pharmaceutical research and development. Romania needs access to innovation, and this type of partnership can accelerate this process. In the next period, the representatives of the Pfizer company will return with an answer regarding the technical framework for continuing discussions and the possibility that this proposal will be analyzed and approved at the level of the Pfizer management board”the minister also specified.
Rogobete states that “it is a process that does not end todayyes, but it is an important start”.
“In such moments, the responsibility is not to explain the past, but to build solutions for the future“, is the opinion of the Minister of Health.
Romania lost the case with Pfizer in the first instance and has to pay 600 million euros.
The former ministers of health during the pandemic have been accusing each other since the beginning of April when the decision of the Belgian court was pronounced.
The government is looking for solutions to manage the situation, considering several scenarios.
