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Minister of Health Sorina Pintea stated that Romania will propose for the time when it holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, starting on January 1, 2019, a new topic - "Patients' mobility," especially considering patients with rare diseases, which need expensive treatment.
She justified the proposal by saying the medicine producers avoid to provide products for diseases with small number of patients, for it's not profitable.
"But for us profitability is not what matters, what matters is to treat the patients. Then, while encountering numerous problems, we thought of this solution and this proposal that we are going to make when we hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union," said Pintea.
The other four topics that Romania will propose in the healthcare field are: immunization, resistance to antibiotics, i-health and access to innovating medicines.
At the debate, Diana Paun, state counselor with the Presidential Administration, said that the theme proposed by the Health Ministry, "Patients' Mobility" is welcome and it represents an opportunity for Romania to become a destination for medical tourism.
"The moment I found out about this new theme I was surprised, because I knew the reaction of the CNAS president, who was complaining that Romania spends very much on medical services for patients who treat themselves abroad. On the other hand, I though that this is a special opportunity for Romania to become in its turn a medical tourism destination, for Romania has a lot to offer to the patients in Europe, from abroad. It has well prepared medical teams, development areas including in the infrastructure area that are very good, specialties from stomatology to geriatrics, balneology and top class surgery, which is why the topic is welcome," said Diana Paun.
