Spain continues reduction of pharma spending and starts adopting value based pricing

The Spanish Ministry of Health last week announced pharmaceutical spending data, which showed a new drop in 2013. Last year, the National Health System (SNS) spent 9.18 billion euros ($12.38 billion), 587.69 million euros less than the previous year (-6.1%), reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent. This compares with 2011, when savings increased to near 2 billion euros (-17.5%).

Official data also showed a decrease in the number of prescriptions in 2013, with doctors signing 859.5 millions scripts last year, 54.1 million less than in 2012 and 113 million less than 2011. The latest data show the achievement of savings goals linked to new measures approved in Royal-Decree 16/2012, which introduced delisting measures and changes in co-payments for medicines to a “fairer system,” according to official government statements.

Generics continue to gain market share