Drug price-cap agreement with LIF working as intended, says Denmark’s Health Minister

In a written response to the Danish Parliamentary Health Committee, Minister of Health Nick Hækkerup emphasises that the price-cap agreement made with Denmark’s pharma trade group LIF for the hospital sector is working as intended to provide stable prices.

The Minister's response follows statements in several of the media that spending on drugs in Danish hospitals has risen more than expected in the financial settlement reached by the government and the Regions in June 2014. The unexpected rise is due to more new drugs being used to treat patients but also to the fact that more patients are getting better treatment in hospital, according to a LIF website posting.

“It is naturally pleasing that new effective drugs are being developed which make it possible to treat patients better,” writes Mr Hækkerup, continuing: “However, the new drugs are often expensive and so it is important that we focus on managing our spending on drugs in an appropriate way.”