Polish pharma seeks EU generics transition

Polfarmed, Poland's chamber of pharmaceutical and medical equipmentindustries, has asked the government to seek a 10-year transition period for re-registration of all Polish-made generic drugs, which is required under European Union law following Poland's anticipated accession to the EU in 2003 or 2005. Re-registration will not be required for foreign drugs in Poland.

Polfarmed also seeks five years to bring Poland's patent system into compliance with EU requirements, a move which local reports say is aimed at maintaining the relatively low prices of Polish-made drugs.

Meantime, as part of the state health funds' moves to tighten their controls on reimbursement, all doctors in Poland are to be given new prescription forms from June. Doctors and pharmacy groups have criticized the extra paperwork that the change will impose on them.