Sale of antibiotics in Bulgaria will be by e-prescriptions only as of April 1

From April 1, antibiotics will only be available by electronic prescription. For the last few months the digital prescriptions were subject to a deferral and the antibiotics could be bought with a paper prescription.

However, there will be no new deferrals of the use of e-prescriptions. Mandatory digital prescriptions for antibiotics and diabetes drugs was introduced in mid-October last year. But because of reports of problems and at the insistence of the Bulgarian Doctors' Union, the government decided in December to bring back paper prescriptions until 31 March. An app has also been developed for prescriptions offline.

"I expect things to be much more normal and problems to be fewer. Otherwise, there were numerous problems before - with the software systems of both doctors and pharmacists. The doctors themselves were not prepared for this change. I think that now everybody has got used to it and should have adapted", said Nikolay Kostov - Chairman of the Association of Pharmacy Owners.