Representatives of the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices in the first half of this year performed over 200 inspections at national drugstores. As a result of the identified violations, there were drawn up 126 reports that were sent to court.

Contacted by IPN, the Agency’s director Alexandru Coman said that 79 of the 126 reports concerned violations of the rules of releasing drugs. The court is to impose fines varying from 400 to 1,000 lei, based on the Code of Administrative Offenses.

According to Alexandru Coman, the Agency permanently monitors the situation on the pharmaceutical market. It determines the method of prescribing drugs by doctors and the method of issuing them by drugstores. The aim of the order made by the minister of health is to make sure that the doctors prescribe medicines exclusively by using International Nonproprietary Names.

Corman added that the institution he heads is not responsible for the imposition of penalties on the druggists who continue to sell drugs without prescription. However, those who witness a violation can inform the Agency and other relevant state institutions.

Under an order concerning the sale of drugs made by Minister of Health Andrei Usatyi on October 1, 2012, 80% of the drugs can be bought only by prescription, especially the antibiotics.