BPI: WIdO study hides facts

27.04.2018 19:18

The Federal Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (BPI) warns against turning a blind eye to acute supply problems. With the calculations from its own insured data, the AOK cannot hide the fact that - as with vaccines or antibiotics - the diversity of providers on the market is dwindling. The same applies to supply-critical active ingredients.

The sharpening of drug discount agreements in 2007 in the market regulated by discount agreements has meant that there are often only a few, sometimes only two, active providers in the market for active ingredients that are critical to supply. This oligopolization threatens acute supply bottlenecks - and in an emergency, life-threatening supply bottlenecks for patients. There is good reason why the legislature reacted and initially abolished the vaccine tenders with the Drug Supply Strengthening Act (AMVSG). Because of the complexity of production, vaccines are an example of markets with few providers. The fact that politicians are now questioning the discount agreements for “essential” medicines is a logical step to ensure patient care in the future. Dr. Norbert Gerbsch, deputy BPI managing director: “The waiver of discount contracts for supply-critical medicines with a few suppliers and the multiple awarding of generics are part of the catalog of measures.”