Health Minister Arben Vitita has declared that the lack of palbociclib bar at the Oncology Clinic during 2026 has been caused by increased demand for this drug, while the first supply tender has failed due to lack of bidders.
Responding to questions asked by PDK deputy Sala Jashari, in association with the death of the breast cancer patient, who had remained four months without therapy, Vitita said that palbociclib was first included in the Essencial Bar List in 2025.
According to him, supply was originally planned for 40 patients, based on demands from the Oncology Clinic. The contract was linked on July 17th 2025, while the first supply had reached the central pharmacy in Ceku in mid-August that same year.
Vitia explained that the demand for this drug had increased because even patients who previously provided it privately had begun to look for it in the Oncology Clinic after their involvement in the Essencial Bars List.
In the first question, the palbociclib drug was first introduced to Kosovo on the list of essential drugs in the year 2025. The preparations for his safety have immediately begun, and, being the newly introduced drug on the list, planning has been made according to demands that have been in the oncology clinic until then. Based on this planning, planning has been made for 40 patients.
The Ministry of Health has demanded the additional budget at the Ministry of Finance, and this requirement has been approved by the Ministry of Finance. Following the necessary procedures, the contract has been linked to July 17th and, in mid-August, has come for the first time to the central medicine in Ceku. During this time, it has been found to have higher demand for this drug, since part of the patients who provided it earlier privately, not being on the list of essential drugs, when this bar was placed on the list of essential drugs, have normally begun looking for this medication at the oncology clinic, Vitita said.
The minister has also cited the lack of functional institutions and failure to adopt the budget as the long-term obstacle to launching new procurement procedures. According to him, the budget was approved with the aim of being revised in May or June, but this had not happened following the distribution of the Assembly in April and entry into the June 7th election process.
He said that as a result of doubling the requirements, the contract was spent 130 percent in just nine months.
Also, during 2025, due to lack of institutions and the Assembly, there have been no budgetary regimes, nor has the budget been adopted. This situation has continued until March, where, despite the demand for growth of the budget, due to extraordinary circumstances, the budget has been spent with a view to a review in May-June. But the honoured MP, this review did not happen, as the month of April the Parliament was disbanded and we were put into electoral process for the June 7th elections. As a result of doubling the requirements for this drug, the contract has been spent 130% according to the legal opportunity given to us, and what was planned for a year to be spent on 100%, due to the doubling of patients who have sought this bar, has resulted in spending 130% for only 9 months.
The possibility of opening the new procedure has been impossible without budget approval. Following the introduction of budget law and vehicle transfer, new tender procedures have immediately been launched, taking into account the rapid spending of this drug. First offer, unfortunately, has failed because there was no bidder. Immediately after the failure of the first bid, the tender has been opened again with accelerated procedures, and, on July 30, 2026, contracts have been established and, on August 18th of this year, has begun issuing at the central drug store, Vitita added.
Vitia has acknowledged that the supply of drugs for the needs of the Oncology Clinic during 2026 has not been at the level of 2024 and 2025.
He has cited as the reason for the lack of marketing permits for certain drugs, delays in supply, failure of tender procedures due to lack of bidders, and cases where offers have exceeded the projected amount according to the official list of drug prices.
During 2026, the supply of medicine for the needs of the oncology clinic was not at the level of 2024 and 2025 because of the reasons I mentioned to her about her bar. Other reasons listed in this absence are some drugs that did not have marketing authorization. The other cause, delays in supply as a result of procedures, failures due to lack of bidders and, in some cases, overcoming the projected amount based on the official list of drug prices, he said.
Source Layer: Dukeagini
