Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete and Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare held a first exploratory round of negotiations with Pfizer in Washington DC on Thursday, aimed at converting Romania's EUR 600 million debt for COVID-19 vaccines, plus interest, into innovative medicines.
"The discussions were conducted in a balanced and professional manner, focused on identifying concrete solutions for Romania. We are not only dealing with a financial obligation, but with the responsibility to turn this situation into a real benefit for patients. Our proposal, formulated under the mandate received from the Romanian government, was to continue negotiations to convert the outstanding amount into innovative medicines for cancer patients and those with rare diseases. We reiterated the importance of the healthcare system and Romania's long-standing partnership with Pfizer, as well as our openness to developing future cooperation in pharmaceutical research and development. Romania needs access to innovation, and this type of partnership can accelerate that process," the health minister wrote on Facebook.
According to him, Pfizer representatives are expected to respond in the coming period regarding the technical framework for continuing discussions and the possibility of the proposal being reviewed and approved by the company's board.
"This is not a process that ends today. But it is an important beginning. At such moments, the responsibility is not to explain the past, but to build solutions for the future," Rogobete added.
A court in Brussels has ruled at first instance that Poland and Romania must pay outstanding balances for COVID-19 vaccines ordered from Pfizer BioNTech, amounting to EUR 1.3 billion and EUR 600 million respectively.
The US pharmaceutical company Pfizer filed lawsuits against the two countries in autumn 2023 to enforce these procurement contracts, which Poland and Romania refused to fully honour following the end of the pandemic.
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