What is the meaning of the “solidarity tax” imposed on drug manufacturers by the Bologna Government. Clawback fee link

In the draft Emergency Ordinance on the reform of the administration published on Wednesday, a “solidarity fee” is provided for drug suppliers. It is not a new tax, but a “temporary” increase of the old clawback tax, which has been applied in Romania since 2009, the Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, explained to the HotNews public.

Specifically, the clawback tax is a tax of 15% of the production price of generic drugs and 25% of the production price of innovative drugs, which pharmaceutical manufacturers are obliged to pay quarterly.

To this tax, the Government introduced, in the health reform package adopted last August, a temporary increase called “solidarity tax”: an increase of 0.6% in the case of generic drugs (15.6% in total) and 1.7% in the case of innovative drugs (26.7% in total). This tax was valid for the last quarter of 2025, and now the Government has decided to extend the measure “temporarily” for this year as well, Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete explained to HotNews on Wednesday.

In the draft of the Emergency Ordinance on the reform of the administration put in public consultation on Wednesday, it is provided:

• “The establishment of the temporary quarterly solidarity contribution for the holders of marketing authorizations for medicinal products, regulated by Article VIII of Law No. 163/2025 on the amendment and completion of some normative acts and for the establishment of some measures in the field of health, with subsequent amendments.”

“The main reason why cheap drugs are disappearing”

However, the measure is disputed by drug manufacturers.

Dragoș Damian, CEO of Terapia Cluj, the largest producer of generic drugs in Romania, and the president of the Patronatul Producătorilor Industriali de Medicamenti, says, in a dialogue with HotNews, that the clawback tax is “the main reason why cheap medicines disappear from Romania, which become unprofitable for manufacturers”.

Dragoș Damian is also an honorary adviser to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

He also launches “a rhetorical question: 'Does this money from the clawback tax go back into the health system?'”

On the other hand, the Casa de Asigurări de Sanătate claimed, last fall, that this increase represents an additional income reallocated to the national health programs, which allows the settlement of a greater number of medicines.