The seventeenth edition of the annual forum, Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Days, took place at the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna from 21 to 23 June 2024. Traditionally associated with the professional holiday of pharmacists in Bulgaria (Enyovden), this most significant event in the calendar of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union was held under the title “On the waves of knowledge towards new horizons”.
During the official opening ceremony, the Mayor of Varna Blagomir Kotsev congratulated the pharmacists and wished them personal and professional success, expressing his appreciation for their work, which ensures people’s health every day.
Within the rich scientific program of the forum, presentations were made on the innovations in the National Health Information System, National Health Insurance Fund’s controls and information security. The lecture given by Ms. Iliana Paunova, Executive Director of BgMVO, was on “Interoperability of the Medicines Verification System with the NHIS for medicinal products, paid by the NHIF”.
The participants were acquainted with the changes in the Law of medicinal products in human medicine (LMPHM) regarding the digitalization and information connectivity of healthcare systems, as well as the elements of the medicines verification process in relation to the requirements in the LMPHM for the healthcare systems integration. With examples from recent transactions with expensive medicines packs in pharmacies from different locations in the country, Ms. Paunova presented the chronology and possible breaches that result in generating alerts to the Bulgarian Drug Agency. Answers to specific inquiries from pharmacies were also shown, as well as recommendations regarding how to work with the Verification System.
The presentations of the NHIF, BgMVO and Information Service were accompanied by a lively discussion and numerous questions from daily practice.
Over 1000 participants followed the programme of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Days 2024 forum with great interest. In addition to the pharmaceutical community, it was attended by pharmaceutical professionals, representatives of state institutions, academia, students, manufacturers, wholesalers, representatives of Bulgarian and international organizations, as well as many specialists in the field of healthcare.
Within the event, Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union awards for medicinal products of the year, Master Pharmacist of the year, and Regional Pharmaceutical college of the year were solemnly presented.