European Austerity Measures Lead Change in Generic Drug Pricing, Reports GBI Research

06 Jun 2012 • by Natalie Aster

Generic drugs are expected to help countries cope with healthcare cuts brought about by strict austerity measures, according to a new report by business intelligence experts GBI Research.

The new report «Pricing and Reimbursement in Generics - European Austerity Measures and Healthcare Cost Containment Puts Innovation-Driven Pharma Companies under Pressure» suggests that lower priced generic drugs help control costs, saving patients, drug manufacturers, retailers and the government a considerable amount of money.

In the US, the average price for a brand-name drug prescription is $84.20, while it costs only $30.60 for a generic drug prescription. Generic drugs help consumers in the US save approximately $8 to $10 billion a year at retail pharmacies, and many European countries are looking to increase their use of generic drugs, implementing measures to do so in an attempt to control increasing costs. The Primary Care Trust (PCT) in the UK encourages physicians to prescribe low-cost generic drugs in order to save costs, while the Spanish government demands that doctors prescribe generics and pharmacists dispense the cheapest generic available, in order to save €2.4 billion ($3 billion) a year.

Report Details:

Pricing and Reimbursement in Generics - European Austerity Measures and Healthcare Cost Containment Puts Innovation-Driven Pharma Companies under Pressure
Published: April, 2012
Pages: 99
Price: US$ 3.500,00

Reference pricing is a popular methodology in several countries, as the method helps lower the price of generic drugs and brings about considerable savings for the country. 13 countries, including Germany, Spain, Hungary and Finland, have adopted reference pricing for generic drugs.

Price cuts have also proven to be an effective tool in limiting pharmaceutical expenditure and budget deficits. Austerity measures announced by the Italian government in July 2010 included a mandatory price cut of 12.5% on generic drugs. The Spanish government also implemented a €15 billion ($22 billion) austerity package in 2010, which led to an average 25% cut in generic prices.

Cuts spread beyond Europe in March 2011, when the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in China cut the prices of 162 cardiovascular and anti-infective drugs by an average of 21%. A second price cut took place on September 1, 2011, with Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) of 82 different drugs being lowered by an average of 14% in order to reduce patients’ healthcare expenditure.

More information can be found in the report “Pricing and Reimbursement in Generics - European Austerity Measures and Healthcare Cost Containment Puts Innovation-Driven Pharma Companies under Pressure” by GBI Research.

To order the report or ask for sample pages contact [email protected]

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