Another Czech row over drug prices

The Czech Republic's Health Ministry is embroiled in yet another row over drug prices, this time facing the European Commission and the drugmakers themselves. Previous recent stand-offs have involved pharmacies (Marketletters passim). The row has erupted over demands by the EC that the Czech government must change its categorization process for medicines, which determines their insurance coverage. The existing process has been condemned as "non-transparent" and "contrary to EU legislation" by the Commission.

Czech Health Minister David Rath has so far opposed allowing drugmakers access to the criteria that the govern-ment's categorization committee employs to determine which drug qualifies for health insurance relief or not. Dr Rath told the Czech news agency that, because drug firms are motivated by profit, they have no right to be heard in any negotiations about insurability.

"No transparency" for $1.5 billion distribution