Health costs restructuring of the pharmaceutical market?

Health costs: conversion of the German pharmaceutical market? According to reports from various media, around two billion euros a year will be saved in the healthcare system through changes in the area of ​​medicines.

An important measure should be cheaper drug prices. The drug manufacturers should negotiate with the health insurance companies. If no agreement is reached between the two, the health ministry claims to set maximum prices. Furthermore, the manufacturers should submit a benefit assessment when approving a drug, which should also be funded by them. If this is done by the manufacturers, the funds are not supposed to be assessed by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). The IQWiG compiles cost-benefit assessments of medical services on which the health insurance funds are based. The head of the institute, Peter Sawicki, is only in office until August, because his contract was not renewed. According to media reports, an industry-critical attitude emanating from him should have caused the non-extension.

Relevant media continue to report plans by the Federal Ministry of Health to introduce compulsory discounts and halt the budget for patented medicines for the first time. According to official statements from the Ministry, some proposals for savings in the pharmaceutical sector will soon be publicly presented.

In a report of the ARD magazine „plus minus“ On 2 January 2010, the health economist Professor Gerd Glaeske had already pointed out that the German health care system could be greatly relieved by a state regulation of the prices of patented drugs. There was a referral to the health insurance KKH, after each of the 30 patented drugs in Germany is more expensive than in other European countries. In most of these countries, the prices for the said funds should then be negotiated between the manufacturers and the state authorities. (Thorsten Fischer, Naturopath Osteopathy, 06.03.2010)

Additional Information:

Plus-minus report

„Health costs - where a lot of money is wasted“