The Ministry of Health has decided to lift the prescription restrictions for a set of medicines intended for patients with lung diseases. From 6 September 2024, such medicinal products may be prescribed not only by a pneumologist or immunoallergologist but also by a general adult physician and general physician for children and adolescents. The patient will not have to wait for a specialist, but in case of acute need and also to continue treatment, the necessary medicines can be prescribed by the general doctor for adults and the paediatrician.
The Ministry of Health actively addresses the availability of health care by specialists. In addition to increasing the number of medicines, simplifying education and other innovations, there is also a measure with an immediate positive effect on the availability of treatment for the patient. Lack of doctors in specializations pneumology and immunolargology partially solves the latest decision of the Ministry of Health. Some medications, which until now could only be prescribed by the doctor in those specialties, may also be re-prescribed to the patient by the general physician for adults and the primary paediatrician.
For the reason that the patient receives the necessary treatment in time, despite the limited availability of specialist outpatient care in the field of pneumology and immunoallergology, the Ministry extended the possibility to prescribe the necessary medicinal products to general physicians for adults and primary paediatricians. Both specialties have the necessary education for the indication of these drugs, therefore patient safety is ensured, Minister for Health Zuzana Dolinková explained. This will ensure that the patient is treated as an acute condition and can wait for a specialist to be examined. In particular, the general physician may prescribe various inhalation and nasal sprays. These are medicines with active substances which are used in various diseases where the bronchial tract is narrowed, as well as breathing difficulties resulting from bronchitis or seasonal allergic rhinitis (e.g. hay fever). However, the indication of more specialised medicines remains the responsibility of the specialists.

The health department acted on the basis of consensus of MUDr. Etela Janeková PhD., the main specialist of MZ SR for general medicine for adults and MUDr. Elena Prokopová, the main specialist of MZ SR for general care of children and the main experts and professional companies for pneumology and immunoallergology. Minister for Health Zuzana Dolinková for accelerated availability of medicines to patients has issued a decision to lift the prescription restrictions. The amendment has been in force since its publication, i.e. since 6 September 2024.
The list of medicinal products and detailed information was published by the Ministry on its website:https://category.mzsr.sk/Lieky/Common/Details/34999