The Association for the Development of Bulgarian Healthcare (ADBH) announced on Friday that it will file a complaint on Monday with the Commission for Protection against Discrimination. The complaint targets the Bulgarian Medical Association and the National Health Insurance Fund concerning their refusal to incorporate financing for biomarker diagnostics into the National Framework Contract. The ADBH stated that biomarker testing is essential for determining the sensitivity of specific cancers or metastases to certain medications.
Without these diagnostic tests, patients are limited to older, basic therapies, which can be poorly tolerated and often ineffective. The association highlighted that Bulgaria currently stands as the sole country in the European Union where patients must cover the costs of this type of diagnostics themselves, with expenses ranging from EUR 500 to EUR 2,500. Through its complaint, the association seeks a finding of discrimination against cancer patients and demands that state authorities intervene to rectify the situation.
The patient organization is urging individuals who have paid for biomarker testing out-of-pocket to contact the association so their cases can be included in future actions aimed at protecting their rights, including seeking compensation for damages. These funds for biomarker diagnostics had originally been allocated within the National Health Insurance Fund’s 2026 budget. However, during the second reading of the budget, an amendment was adopted that redirected these funds from the medical services budget line to the medical devices budget line.
Topics: #association #discrimination #biomarker
