STATE BID FOR INSULIN

Medicine producers may be indignant because the government has concluded a private agreement with a firm to avoid insulin shortage. The other producer on the market has not been offered any compensation. Yesterday most medicines could be bought for a lower price.

The president of the Chamber of Apothecaries says there has been no problem with the transition to new prices but about fifty medicines could not be bought from the wholesale dealers. In the past 4-5 years the Hungarian need for insulin has been increased, now the number of diabetics are estimated as 150 000. Yesterday the health committee of the parliament approved of a bill which would permit the long-term freezing of medicines while the Minister of Health would be authorized to make exemptions in certain cases.

Translated by Péter Szentmihályi Szabó