Health Minister, about Euthyrox crisis: There's a blockage at import level

The Health Minister, Nelu Tataru, stated, on Friday, in central Alba Iulia, when asked about the shortages in pharmacy supplies of Euthyrox (Levothyroxine), that, in his opinion, there is a blockage that is happening at the level of import, mentioning that investigations were started in this sense at the level of the Romanian National Agency for Drugs and Medical Devices and at the level of the Drugs Policy Directorate of the Ministry.

"At the level of the National Agency for Drugs we made changes, at the level of the Drugs Policy of the Health Ministry we've made changes, we have investigations at these two authorities. From my point of view, there's a blockage that is happening at the level of import, of the distributor, until it reaches the pharmacy," said Nelu Tataru.

Asked by journalists when the issue of a vital medication for patients with thyroid conditions will be solved, the Health Ministry stated that contact with the producer was made and, presently, production increased by 20 pct.

"We hope it will reach from the level of the distributor to pharmacies, so patients find it. We are currently having an investigation that we are conducting both at the level of the Drugs Policy Directorate, as well as the National Agency for Drugs," Nelu Tataru concluded.

Levothyroxine is a manufactured form of thyroxine, a thyroid hormone, and is used to treat hypothyroidism, treatment usually being life-long.