ČT: US ambassador lobbies for abolition of pharmaceutical auctions

Prague, Aug 11 (CTK) - U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic Norman Eisen lobbied for the abolition of the Czech law on Internet medicines auctions, the Czech Television (CT) public broadcaster said yesterday.

The Chamber of Deputies passed the first part of the Czech health reform that contains medicines auctions in end-June.

The Health Ministry received Esien's letter of disagreement immediately afterwards, CT said.

The plan to introduce medicines electronic auctions is designed to markedly cut the costs of health insurance companies to the detriment of the profits of pharmaceutical firms.

Health Minister Leos Heger (TOP 09) said he expects the step to save up to five billion crowns.

"He (Eisen) expressed certain fears for the fate of the firms in our market. We answered his letter saying that we are aware of this, but that we are pursuing the Czech Republic's best interests," Heger told CT.

The U.S. side admitted in a statement for CT that it was acting at the request of U.S. pharmaceutical firms.

The embassy respects that the healthcare reform is the Czech government's internal matter, U.S. press attache Paul Oglesby wrote.

Nevertheless, he wrote, the embassy thinks that all interested parties should have an opportunity to make their comments.

The opposition-dominated Senate returned the first part of the healthcare reform to the Chamber of Deputies in end-July. However, the government coalition has enough votes to outvote the Senate's veto.

($1=16.762 crowns)