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Evolution of Average European Medicine Prices: Implications for the Methodology of External Price Referencing.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:There are indications of staggered market entry of medicines in the national markets, with medicines being marketed first in countries with high prices. This study aimed to analyse the availability and evolution of medicine prices in the European Union (EU). METHODS:This research was performed for an illustrative sample of five medicines (abiraterone, emtricitabine/rilpivirine/tenofovir disoproxil, fingolimod, linagliptin and sofosbuvir) in 27 EU Member States. Price data at 6, 12, 18, 36 and 60 months after marketing authorisation were retrieved from national administrative price databases and registers accessible through the Pharma Price Information service. RESULTS:In the first year after marketing authorisation, price data for the selected medicines were only available in a small number of EU Member States-usually high-income countries. Availability increased over time. However, some countries, for instance Central and Eastern Europe, had price data available only several years after marketing authorisation. The average European price of the surveyed medicines decreased by at least 7.1% between 6 months and 3 years and at least 9.5% between 6 months and 5 years after marketing authorisation. Price data availability in lower-income countries at later stages, and price decreases in some countries, appear to be major reasons for the reductions in average prices. CONCLUSIONS:If policymakers aim to apply the pricing policy of external price referencing (i.e. price setting based on prices in other countries) for cost-containment purposes, they are recommended to undertake continuous price revisions over the years.

SUBMITTER: Vogler S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6710305 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Evolution of Average European Medicine Prices: Implications for the Methodology of External Price Referencing.

Vogler Sabine S Schneider Peter P Zimmermann Nina N

PharmacoEconomics - open 20190901 3

<h4>Background</h4>There are indications of staggered market entry of medicines in the national markets, with medicines being marketed first in countries with high prices. This study aimed to analyse the availability and evolution of medicine prices in the European Union (EU).<h4>Methods</h4>This research was performed for an illustrative sample of five medicines (abiraterone, emtricitabine/rilpivirine/tenofovir disoproxil, fingolimod, linagliptin and sofosbuvir) in 27 EU Member States. Price da ...[more]

PMID: 30721410

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Project description:BackgroundSeveral governments apply the policy of external price referencing (EPR), which considers the prices of a medicine in one or more other countries for the purpose of setting the price in the own country. Different methodological choices can be taken to design EPR. The study aimed to analyse whether, or not, and how changes in the methodology of EPR can impact medicine prices.MethodsThe real-life EPR methodology as of Q1/2015 was surveyed in all European Union Member States (where applicable), Iceland, Norway and Switzerland through a questionnaire responded by national pricing authorities. Different scenarios were developed related to the parameters of the EPR methodology. Discrete-event simulations of fictitious prices in the 28 countries of the study that had EPR were run over 10 years. The continuation of the real-life EPR methodology in the countries as surveyed in 2015, without any change, served as base case.ResultsIn most scenarios, after 10 years, medicine prices in all or most surveyed countries were-sometimes considerably-lower than in the base case scenario. But in a few scenarios medicine prices increased in some countries. Consideration of discounts (an assumed 20% discount in five large economies and the mandatory discount in Germany, Greece and Ireland) and determining the reference price based on the lowest price in the country basket would result in higher price reductions (on average - 47.2% and - 34.2% compared to the base case). An adjustment of medicine price data of the reference countries by purchasing power parities would lead to higher prices in some more affluent countries (e.g. Switzerland, Norway) and lower prices in lower-income economies (Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Poland). Regular price revisions and changes in the basket of reference countries would also impact medicine prices, however to a lesser extent.ConclusionsEPR has some potential for cost-containment. Medicine prices could be decreased if certain parameters of the EPR methodology were changed. If public payers aim to apply EPR to keep medicine prices at more affordable levels, they are encouraged to explore the cost-containment potential of this policy by taking appropriate methodological choices in the EPR design.

Project description:BackgroundAs part of the initiatives to increase price transparency for consumers, pharmaceutical industry in Malaysia have been encouraged to declare the wholesale and recommended retail prices (RRP) of medicines to the Pharmaceutical Service Department (PSD) yearly. However, the relationship between the voluntary price reporting practices and consumers' retail medicine price is unknown. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of the voluntary price reporting practice of pharmaceutical industry on retail medicine prices, factors that may affect consumer medicine prices in Malaysia's private healthcare sector, and the retail medicine pricing trend over 2011-2015.MethodsA yearly correlation test for a 5-year period was performed to investigate the association between the wholesale and RRP medicine prices declared by the pharmaceutical industry from 2011 to 2015 on the one hand and the consumer wholesale and retail medicine price database on the other hand. The median price ratio (MPR) was calculated by comparing the consumer retail medicine price to its international reference price. The Krukal Wallis test was used to analyse the pricing trend throughout the 5-year period, and factors that might elevate the MPR above 2.5 were modelled using binary logistic regression.ResultsA total of 2527 medicine price data were analysed. There was a strong significant association between medicine prices declared to the PSD and the retail medicine prices in every year of the 5-year period. Moreover, there was no significant increase in retail medicine prices throughout the 5-year period. The medicine types, retail location, type of manufacturer, medicinal indications, declared wholesale and RRPs significantly influenced the consumer MPRs that where > 2.5.ConclusionThe declared medicine price was found to have a significant association with the consumer retail medicine price. Thus, it may be a useful reference for consumers purchasing medicines in private healthcare settings. However, the government of Malaysia must develop strategies to increase medicine price transparency for price-control mechanisms in the private healthcare sector.

Project description:BackgroundMalaysia's stable health care system is facing challenges with increasing medicine costs. To investigate these issues a survey was carried out to evaluate medicine prices, availability, affordability, and the structure of price components.Methods and findingsThe methodology developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI) was used. Price and availability data for 48 medicines was collected from 20 public sector facilities, 32 private sector retail pharmacies and 20 dispensing doctors in four geographical regions of West Malaysia. Medicine prices were compared with international reference prices (IRPs) to obtain a median price ratio. The daily wage of the lowest paid unskilled government worker was used to gauge the affordability of medicines. Price component data were collected throughout the supply chain, and markups, taxes, and other distribution costs were identified. In private pharmacies, innovator brand (IB) prices were 16 times higher than the IRPs, while generics were 6.6 times higher. In dispensing doctor clinics, the figures were 15 times higher for innovator brands and 7.5 for generics. Dispensing doctors applied high markups of 50%-76% for IBs, and up to 316% for generics. Retail pharmacy markups were also high-25%-38% and 100%-140% for IBs and generics, respectively. In the public sector, where medicines are free, availability was low even for medicines on the National Essential Drugs List. For a month's treatment for peptic ulcer disease and hypertension people have to pay about a week's wages in the private sector.ConclusionsThe free market by definition does not control medicine prices, necessitating price monitoring and control mechanisms. Markups for generic products are greater than for IBs. Reducing the base price without controlling markups may increase profits for retailers and dispensing doctors without reducing the price paid by end users. To increase access and affordability, promotion of generic medicines and improved availability of medicines in the public sector are required.

Dataset Information

Evolution of Average European Medicine Prices: Implications for the Methodology of External Price Referencing.

Publications

Evolution of Average European Medicine Prices: Implications for the Methodology of External Price Referencing.

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