Many new drug therapies that patients in most European countries receive may remain inaccessible to Bulgarian patients in 2018, the Association of the Research-Based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria (ARPharM) warned. The reason is a moratorium on their payment by the National Health Insurance Fund in 2018 approved by the Supervisory Board of the NHIF and submitted for consideration by the Parliament. It appears that due to this sanction the widely proclaimed increase of healthcare funds by 400 million BGN will not lead to improvement in the drug treatment of Bulgarian patients. Some of the new therapies are life-saving, offering more treatment options, and in some cases they may even be more cost-efficient for NHIF.

In June 2017 for a second consecutive year   the  pharmaceutical industry in Europe disclosed the transfers of value for research and  development  activities as  well  as  transfers  of  value to healthcare  specialists and  their  professional organizations – supporting  and  organizing  scientific  and  education  events,  registration  fees,  lecturer  fees.

Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Dr. Ilko Semerdzhiev, Chairman of the Board of the Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria (ARPharM) Zoya Paunova and director of ARPharM Deyan Denev have signed a memorandum of cooperation and partnership.

Ministry of Health and the ARPharM will cooperate to ensure access to high quality and effective medicines for Bulgarian citizens. The document provides for the implementation of control and joint inspections by the BDA, National Health Insurance Fund, the National Revenue Agency and the Customs Agency. There will be checked persons trading with medicines in the country and through its borders. It will be monitored the availability of marketing authorizations for medicinal products with compliance to the good distribution practice and the rules for prescribing and selling drugs.

On 1 December 2015 was signed а Memorandum of Understanding between the Bulgarian Health Ministry and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, doctors’ and patients’ organisations is set to reduce the gap between Bulgaria and other European countries with regard to the level of access and uptake of medicines.

Following а robust selection process organised by the Bulgarian Medicine Verification Organisation (BgMVO), Solidsoft Reply, the Reply group company specialising in enterprise strength solutions on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, has been selected and signed an agreement to implement and operate the National Medicines Verification System in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Medicines Verification Organisation is a not-for-profit organisation, incorporated in 2016, responsible for the implementation of the EU’s Falsified Medicines Directive (Directive 2011/62/EU).

Federation Bulgaria Patients' Forum for the fifth consecutive year organized the awarding of "Daniela Seizova - in the name of life" prizes. Awards have been established at the initiative of the late Theodora Zaharieva in memory of Daniela Seizova - health journalist with outstanding service in promoting the problems of cancer patients and patients in general, both failed the battle with cancer.

Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria and its member companies traditionally provide the financial support for these awards.

Very touching moment in awards for 2013 was the prize "Brave Heart," awarded by the mayor of Sofia, Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova. This is a reward for children and teenagers asserted their rights, and the winner was 11-year-old Nelina Nikolova from Gorna Oriahovica for her courage to declare their disease and confront public opinion that psoriasis is contagious.

The Association of Research- based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria proposed to health authorities a package of measures to ensure access of patients to innovative pharmaceutical treatment, while allowing for control and planned growth of public spending on drugs. The proposals include two main elements.

On November 26, 2013 the Association of Research- based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria (ARPharM) adopted the Code for Disclosure of Transfers of Value by Pharmaceutical Companies to Healthcare Professionals and Health Organizations. The new Code requires from the beginning of 2016 all members of the organization to publicly disclose their financial relationships with healthcare professionals and health organizations. Thereby ARPharM joined the initiative of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, which adopted its Disclosure Code in June 2013.

Underfunding of the healthcare system in Bulgaria affects both patients and doctors. This is the reason hundreds of young Bulgarian doctors annually to leave Bulgaria, seeking better conditions for development and realization.

Comparative study of drug prices in Bulgaria with the countries of the European Union, conducted by the international company analysis of the pharmaceutical sector IMS Health, shows that manufacturer prices of drugs in the country are the lowest in the EU. At the same time, the public expenditure on pharmaceuticals in Bulgaria is among the lowest in Europe.

June 30, 2009, Sofia. The Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria (ARPharM) conducted a series of pre-election meetings with representatives of the main political parties.

June 30, 2009, Sofia. The Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria (ARPharM) conducted a series of pre-election meetings with representatives of the main political parties.