The social association SoVD has demanded political action to curb the rising prices of drugs. “It can’t continue that the premiums paid by enrollees keep climbing while the pharmaceutical industry rakes in billions of profit” said SoVD chair Michaela Engelmeier in an interview with the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”. She specifically called for a rapid assessment of the cost‑benefit balance of new medicines before they are approved, to stop the manufacturers from setting “fantasy prices”. To make this possible, the government must urgently reform the Arzneimittelmarktneuordnungsgesetz (AMNOG). Such a step would relieve both the medical funds and the insured.
Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) has set up an expert commission that is to present proposals for savings in healthcare by the end of March, in order to prevent further premium increases. Facing a looming billion‑euro deficit for the health funds, the umbrella organization of the statutory health insurers (GKV) is also calling for cuts in medication costs. “Our drug prices are already the highest after those of the United States. When it comes to changing that, politics has so far been too timid” remarked GKV chair Oliver Blatt of the NOZ.
Last year the health funds spent €58.5 billion on drugs, more than on outpatient doctor services.