Pharmaceutical prices get in the focus of the policy

The message almost went under: The health insurance Association Santésuisse has agreed with Novartis on a solution to pay for the novel gene therapy Kymriah. The Association recommends its members to pay per treatment, 200'000 Swiss francs, in addition to the flat rate per case. Say, Kymriah is not billed as a medicine, rather than hospital treatment. The final compensation solution is still pending.

Especially in the case of innovative therapies, pharmaceutical companies and the competent Federal office for health (BAG), wrestling for months to agree on a price. The BAG is under a double pressure: On the one hand, it aims to make therapy progress quickly available. On the other hand, the prices must remain under control. Therefore, the BAG agrees with the company more and more often, discount solutions, which is not so provided for in the law.

"window-price"

Meanwhile, there are 21 such discount models. The office makes them public on the Internet, but it is for outsiders difficult to understand the difference between the net price and list price. Critics refer to the list of prices, therefore, of the "window prices".

The phenomenon, there are in the whole of Europe. The Problem is that the pricing mechanism for medicines to be running into the Void. Because in Switzerland, as in other countries, such as France, the foreign prices plays an important role.

Therefore, the discount practice device in the criticism of the policy. Now, SP has launched a national councillor Cédric Wermuth is a postulate requests the Federal Council to examine the impact of the "showcase of prizes". Further, they should be tested, how they should be prevent by law change – that is to say, the price setting mechanism. to the test

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Unusual: The postulate is supported by the bourgeois politicians, such as, for example, the Heinz Brand and Ulrich Giezendanner, both of the SVP, or Bruno Pezzatti of the FDP. "That would have been a year ago, this was unthinkable," says Wermuth. "It's about greater transparency in medicines prices, and the is in the financial interest of all Insured persons," says the national Council Brand. "The debate around the price-fixing is still running. The Motion therefore I see it as a contribution to the debate," says Zuger MP Pezzatti.

The Federal office of public health does not want to speak to the postulate. Basically, the office refers to the fact that it was in the shop window prices are more likely to be victims than perpetrators. Because "in Switzerland, for the international comparison of prices included prices are window prices", because the BAG had no knowledge of what discounts foreign authorities, have brought. Switzerland is in Europe the only country to publish a remuneration for his return.

pricing

"to improve The debate, to showcase prices is, in our view, at the core of the problem," says Oliver Bleck, Roche Pharma Switzerland for the price negotiations. Because, in the case of the first price-fixing, the BAG would drag the international prices of primary countries, such as Germany and Denmark. "There are discounts to play little or no role," he says. In addition, the prices would be reviewed by the BAG and also reduced.

After all, the consensus between policy, the office of the health insurers and the pharmaceutical industry seems to be that the current pricing mechanism is in need of improvement. The principle problem is that the new therapies such as Kymriah or combination therapies against cancer costs in six-digit height. The health system will be a big challenge. Roche-Manager, Bleck proposes as a solution that the prices should vary more according to the Use.

However, this sounds easier than it is. How exactly is the Benefit to be measured? And what price the coffers of the industry for a cancer drug reward, the promises of an additional year. The world health organization warned in a study that "value-based pricing" are characterized by many uncertainties and lead to "unaffordable prices for cancer drugs could".

The topic is gaining momentum: SP-Nationalrat has observed Wermuth, "how big is the lack of understanding with a view to the high drug prices".

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 29.03.2019, 22:25 PM