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A series of inspections and reports by bTV showed that we lack vital medicines for chronically ill children, diabetics and cancer patients.

On Friday, health authorities banned the export of 63 life-saving drugs over a one-week period.

Health Minister Asen Medzhidiev has threatened that if a trader is caught reselling drugs amid acute shortages on the domestic market, the authorities will revoke his license.



"In several groups I am a member of for children with asthma, there is a constant appeal of 'please, I need a blister, my child is having an attack.'

In general, everyone saves themselves as best they can.

In Bulgaria, unfortunately, there is no substitute for these drugs, and therefore they have to be bought from Turkey," says Iliana Pashova - Nikola's mother.

"Just in the last 1-2 days two more antibiotics have run out.

A total of 45 antibiotics for children and adults are missing," said Nikolay Kostov - pres.

of the Association of Pharmacy Owners.

"Whoever wholesaler currently has pulmicort and ventolin somewhere, he can accordingly re-export to them, do whatever he wants," said Ch.

Secretary of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union Dimitar Marinov.

"There is a major shortage of medicines in 25 out of 27 European countries.

We notified the EMA and EC about the lack of medicines, the problem is pan-European, many of the substances used in production come from China and India," explained Health Minister Asen Medzhidiev.

The Minister of Health stated: There is a shortage of very few medicines