Benefits of investment into modern medicines in Central–Eastern European countries

Abstract

Transferability of current evidence and expressing value of innovative pharmaceuticals according to health system objectives Due to the scarcity of healthcare resources, decision-makers often expect monetary benefits--including cost savings or productivity gain--from innovative medicines. Manufacturers try to fulfill this expectation by expressing the benefits of innovative technologies in monetary units citing approaches from the scientific literature. Unfortunately, currently available evidence has limited relevance and transferability in Central-Eastern European (CEE) countries. This study aims to summarize how innovative pharmaceuticals in CEE countries may contribute to WHO-defined health system objectives, including health gain, equity in health, financial protection, responsiveness, equity in finance and financial sustainability. References in this study are also mainly based on international examples; therefore, additional policy research from CEE countries is necessary to validate assumptions. If CEE politicians can rely on credible arguments based on local research evidence, they may improve long-term strategies and policy decisions related to healthcare innovation.

Policy Practices to Maximise Social Benefit from Biosimilars

“…On the other hand, there is a strong pressure on health care decision makers from politicians, patient advocates, clinicians and the pharmaceutical industry to reimburse new biologic medicines, especially in key priority disease areas [15]. To respond to this political pressure several biologic medicines not meeting local cost-effective thresholds are reimbursed in lower income European countries, however various access restrictions are implemented to ensure the sustainability of health care financing [16].…”

Navigating joint HTA, procurement, and fair pricing: evidence-based insights and practical recommendations - A meeting report from ISPOR regional conference in Warsaw, 2019

“…The Central Eastern European (CEE) region, one of the most dynamically developing regions of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) community, is characterized by unique features. Even though overall healthcare spending is lower compared to Western European (WE) countries, innovative pharmaceuticals are introduced at the same international public prices as those in high income countries [1]. However, a lower local willingness to pay these prices may result in the fact that without a non-transparent discount or a managed entry agreement (MEA) innovative medicines at international list prices are often not cost-effective in the CEE countries.…”

Financial Analysis of the Access to Pharmacotherapy for Rare Diseases in Bulgaria

“…The absence of adequate national strategies for RD, high medicines prices and insufficient experts creates to the barriers in therapy, inappropriate diagnostics and difficulties in peoples' access to health care [8] [9]. A heavier burden is placed on patients' physical, mental, psychological and intellectual wellbeing as well as to the financial capabilities of the third party payers.…”