Pharmaceutical pricing policies in European countries

Abstract

European policy makers have been struggling to fulfil the partially conflicting policy goals of (1) granting equitable and timely access to medicines to their citizens, (2) rewarding innovation to pharmaceutical industry and (3) containing costs in order to ensure long-term financial sustainability of the health care system. From 2007/2008 on, Europe was affected by the global financial crisis that hit the countries in the region to different extents. Several countries had to take strict austerity measures, also in the pharmaceutical. Such measures are intended to address market participants such as pharmaceutical industry, wholesalers and pharmacies. Cost-containment is likely to also target patients and consumers by impacting accessibility and affordability of medicines. Change to Win, a US-based non-profit labor organization, addressed Gesundheit Österreich Forschungs- und Planungsgesellschaft GmbH, a legal subsidiary of Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG/Austrian Health Institute) for non-profit clients, to submit a report about pharmaceutical pricing in European countries in order to investigate measures taken during the global financial crisis and to provide an outlook on planned and future policy measures. The report is intended to be used by CtW Investment Group, which works with pension funds sponsored by unions affiliated with the Change to Win labor federation. In the results section, we start by providing an outlook on the current pattern and expected trends related to pharmaceutical policies as well as a forecast on pharmaceutical expenditure in the European countries over the next years . This is followed by information about most frequently applied policies related to pharmaceutical wholesale, pharmaceutical pricing in general and the commonly applied pricing policy of external price referencing