The testing mechanism, updated as part of legislation on the control of alcohol and drug abuse, strikes a careful balance between public health measures and the fundamental rights of the child.
A document submitted by the Ministry of Health in response to a request from MP Angela Cutasevici states that adolescents aged 16 and older sign the medical consent form themselves. However, in the case of younger children, the procedure cannot be initiated without the official consent of their legal guardians. Authorities explain that testing may be legally ordered by the police, courts, criminal prosecution authorities, or at the initiative of parents in cases of suspected drug use or where there are risks to public order.
Detailed clinical examinations and laboratory tests may only be conducted at the Republican Narcological Dispensary or its regional branches, which have exclusive authority to make a diagnosis. Private laboratories may conduct such tests only upon the family’s direct voluntary request.
The costs of these procedures are covered depending on who ordered the testing. The state budget fully covers the costs if the procedure is ordered by investigative authorities, the prosecutor’s office, or a court, as well as in cases of emergency medical care. Mandatory health insurance funds cover tests required for clinical reasons upon a doctor’s recommendation. At the same time, parents are responsible for paying the costs themselves according to state rates only if the testing is conducted on their own initiative, without a legal order or medical indication.
