The Bulgarian National Patients Organization and the deputy health minister have discussed the possibility for transferring the medicines for transplant patients from the Health Ministry to the National Health Insurance Fund.

The patients organizations has expressed its willingness to organize a survey among patients and doctors for the positive and negative sides of such transfer. The results will be ready at the beginning of September and will be presented to the Health Minister, the National Health Insurance Fund (NZOK) and transplantation expert.

According to the organization, the transfer of the medicines to NZOK would solve a big part of the patients' problems. The most important outcome would be the protected right of choice by patients and their doctors for the most convenient treatment of every single case.

It would also be easier for patients to get the prescribed medicines from pharmacies in their hometown. At present, medicines could be received every month from the transplant centers in Sofia.

Patients believe that the change would hasten their treatment because there will no longer be administrative obstacles connected to the Public Procurement Act, which lead to a delay of some medicines.

Another point of discussion at the meeting between the organization and the Deputy Health Minister Gergana Pavlova has been the problem with the 50 HIV-positive patients who have been deprived from one of the medicines, needed for their treatment.

A new order for the medicine has been started. The problem is expected to be solved by September when patients could continue with their therapy.