Reorganization of the pharmaceutical market: market, yes but...

02.06.2010 15:55

BPI on drug market reform

Light and shadow alternate in the draft discussion on the reform of the pharmaceutical market. In particular, the planned central negotiation with the federal association in a monopoly position contradicts the idea of competition in the healthcare system. It is positive to see that the application of antitrust law should finally shape the ruinous policies of some health insurance companies in the discount contract business in such a way that sustainable price competition can arise. The exploitation of market power, especially by the AOKen, has brought local generic production to the brink of viability and thus promotes the formation of supplier oligopolies. However, the brutal price competition in the generics market has not been sufficiently defused. Even under these conditions, the price war with products from low-wage countries remains ruinous. The pharmaceutical middle class in Germany is and remains in danger.

“Health insurance companies should also compete with each other. On the one hand, antitrust law is correctly applied in full in the generics market, but on the other hand, the monopoly position of the leading association is exploited in the case of innovative medicines. Small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies would particularly suffer from this, as they could easily be screwed over. This contradicts the principles of equal playing field and fair competition,” explains Dr. Bernd Wegener, CEO of the BPI.

There are many problems associated with the planned early assessment of the benefits of a drug. There is a lack of a socially recognized definition of benefit and it is not sufficiently clear how incorrect assessments to the detriment of pharmaceutical companies should be dealt with. “The results of the early assessment are systemically associated with uncertainty - for which there must be options for correction and which must not lead to the benefits of medicines being prematurely denied to the detriment of the affected patients. We have made suggestions as to what an early assessment could look like in order to do justice to both the interests of health insurance and those of the industry,” said Wegener.

“Preliminary decisions are made here that have significant consequences for patients and society: We are therefore renewing our demand that representatives of the patients actually affected by the disease must be involved. The BMG must also not shirk its responsibility and must assume technical supervision. For decisions of such significance, we need more transparency than was previously envisaged,” said Wegener.

01.06.2010