Healthy Skepticism Library item: 17792

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Electronic Source

Silverman E
Spain Cuts Prices On Some Patented Medicines
Pharmalot 2010 May 14
http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/05/spain-cuts-prices-on-some-patented-medicines/

Full text:

Seeking to avoid a financial crisis (see this), Spain is cutting the prices of numerous drugs, including many that have already been patented for up to 10 years, in hopes of reducing what the public health system spends on prescription drugs by as much as 23 percent, Europa Press reports. The savings should amount to roughly 1.3 billion Euros, or about $1.6 billion, although .
The effort, which does not extend to drug in the reference pricing system, takes effect on Aug. 1. Not surprisingly, FarmaIndustria, the industry trade group, criticized the move and warned it will cause thousands of job losses and less spending on research and development (see this and this). Meanwhile, the price paid by the government for generics has also been reduced by 25 percent.
These “are difficult and tough measures to take” but “are intended to strengthen the sustainability and balance of the National Health System,” says Trinidad Jimenez, Spain’s Minister for Health and Social Policy (that’s her in the photo). The ministry “has a deep respect for the pharmaceutical industry and understands their reaction, to defend their interests. (However), the pharmaceutical bill rises to nearly 15,000 million euros annually and the government becomes the largest customer in this sector…We demanded a lot to the industry and we believe that enough is enough.”