Finland's reimbursement proposals short-sighted, says PIF

Commenting on proposals by the Finnish government on reimbursement savings through cuts in drug wholesale prices, the trade group Pharma Industry Finland (PIF) says savings should be primarily sought through a structural reform of the drug reimbursement system. In addition to generating savings, this would promote patient equality and support an overall development of the healthcare system.

The PIF has proposed a new savings measure, a payback system, whereby pharmaceutical companies would pay part of their annual medicine sales proceeds to the state. The PIF’s proposal was not adopted by the working group but the easy administrative way out - price cuts - prevailed.

The proposal on the ways to implement the 113 million-euro ($148.7 million) annual savings in the reimbursements paid by Kela (Finland’s Social Insurance Institution) was published last week by the working group for the reform of the medicines reimbursement system. Involved in the working group instituted by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Pharma Industry Finland recorded its differing opinion in the report.