Almost a half of the medicines imported into Moldova are not accepted in the European Union, however Health Minister Andrei Usatii attributes this not to quality issues but rather to the fact that, unlike Moldova, the EU countries do not work with producers based in the CIS countries, Info-Prim Neo reports. Alexandru Popescu, department head at the Moldovan Security and Intelligence Service, informed a meeting of the Pharmaceutical Control Commission that many drugs were not allowed into the EU because they didn't meet European quality standards. Yet Minister Andrei Usatii stressed before reporters that it wasn't a matter of quality and was rather related to the fact that the EU had its own drug suppliers and markets. “We have traditionally worked with producers from CIS countries, formerly Soviet countries. We continue to have good relations with manufacturers from Belarus, Ukraine or Russia. But I wouldn't say the drugs supplied by them are inferior in quality”, said the minister. At the same meeting, participants remarked that this year drug prices have increased at a slower rate, and Minister Usatii stated that this trend would continue. Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Moldovanu, the Commission's chair, stated in another development that the authorities should be careful about a consignment of illicit Teraflu and Mezim medicines that was reportedly being prepared to be exported from Russia, potentially to Moldova. Minister Usatii assured there were sufficient instruments to prevent that.