Our Life Sciences & Healthcare team has prepared a summary of measures adopted up to April 14 2020 in Lithuania specifically targeted at Life Sciences companies.
Wholesale distributors of medicinal products must regularly report on available stocks of unsold medicinal products. Due to the state of emergency in the country in relation to COVID-19, wholesale distributors of medicinal products must provide data on available stocks of unsold medicinal products for the State Medicines Control Agency twice a week: Mondays and Thursdays before noon. This procedure will be in force until the end of the emergency and an additional 30 days from cancellation of the emergency.
Simplified procedure to be applied for issuance of permits to place surface disinfectants on the market. At the request of companies, permits to produce disinfectants and place them on the market will be issued more quickly. Businesses intending to produce disinfectants must apply to the National Public Health Centre. If applications are submitted properly, the permits will be issued within 1-2 days.
Restrictions have been established on pharmacy activities. A ban has been imposed on using sales promotions (eg, discount hours) that may increase population flows in pharmacies (except online sales), also on selling to consumers more than one package of over-the-counter medicinal products of the same common name, strength and pharmaceutical form per purchase. Pharmacies must also ensure a safe working environment for their employees (eg, possibility to wash hands regularly). Recommendations for pharmacies in relation to customer service have been established (eg, limiting the number of customers at pharmacies).
Nominal medicinal products can be prescribed remotely. Prescription of nominal medicinal products will be possible without visiting a doctor, by electronic means. In such cases, when prescribing an electronic prescription, doctors will not be required to prepare a prescription application for named medicinal products as an additional mandatory paper document to the prescription.
Changes in regular activities of healthcare institutions must be implemented. Due to COVID-19, healthcare institutions (HCI) must implement changes to their everyday activities (restrictions will apply to both public and private HCI). Some of the most significant are as follows: HCI must provide pre-scheduled services only in cases when failure to provide such services could result in serious risks to patients (all other healthcare services should be postponed); HCI that provide services to COVID-19 patients must ensure that infection control requirements are met for other patients; HCI must organize their activities so patients could be consulted remotely; provision of dental services must be suspended, except for emergency cases; HCI personnel over the age of 60 may not be allocated to treat COVID19 patients.
Salaries for medical personnel fighting COVID-19 will be increased by 60 to 100%. The Lithuanian Parliament has approved a proposal to increase salaries for medical personnel who treat patients with particularly dangerous infectious diseases and healthcare professionals who carry out prevention in disease outbreaks. Increased salaries will be paid from March until the end of quarantine.
Pharmaceutical companies are encouraged to donate medicinal products. The Minister of Healthcare approved a list of more than 100 items of medicinal products, for which state support is expected. Donated medicinal products must also meet certain registration criteria established by the Minister of Healthcare. The Health Emergency Situations Centre of the Ministry of Healthcare can accept donations. Information on donations is published here.
Export of personal protective equipment (goggles and shields, face shields, mouth and nose protection, protective clothing, gloves) to third countries is only allowed by decision of the State Emergency Response Operation Manager. Movement of other goods is so far not restricted.
