23 November 2005
URCH Publishing launches comprehensive guide to pharmaceutical pricing systems in Western Europe
Reference report that will become a vital component in the way executives understand the pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceutical products.
Today, URCH Publishing announces the publication of The Guide to Pricing & Reimbursement Systems; Western Europe, a straightforward guide to the pricing and reimbursement mechanisms in 16 major European markets.
This unique publication will benefit executives by concisely explaining the key elements of pricing and reimbursement regulation, offering insight into the latest policies and political environment and increasing knowledge of the methods by which governments influence and control the pharmaceutical industry.
The countries covered in the Guide are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
The report makes some interesting key findings concerning pharmaceutical price control including:
- Government authorities wishing to contain rising healthcare costs are increasingly requiring pharmacoeconomic evidence to be supplied by drug manufacturers. 12 out of the 16 countries surveyed have formally adopted such measures.
- Reference pricing mechanisms exist in more than half the European countries reviewed. Following an inconclusive implementation, Sweden is the only country to have abandoned its reference scheme.
- OTC prices remain mostly deregulated in Europe, while prescribing budgets and profit control are largely unused.
- Cross-country comparison and controlling the entry to the reimbursement system remain the most popular cost-containment approachs. In 2005, only two European countries did not employ these methods.
Simplicity is it at the heart of the publication. The complex subject matter is concisely conveyed using a targeted question and answer format making the information easily digestible. Each country chapter is structured as follows;
- Summary
- How is the healthcare system structured?
- What size is the pharmaceutical market?
- Are pharmaceuticals taxed?
- How are drug prices set?
- How are prices changed?
- How are drugs reimbursed?
- Is there a payback arrangement?
- Are hospital sales controlled?
- Are OTC prices regulated?
- How are pharmaceutical costs controlled?
- How are generic drugs priced?
- What are wholesale/pharmacy margins?
- Is parallel trade influential?
- What to look out for
- Abbreviations
- Useful Contacts
