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According to the report, the information provided indicates the medicines of specific pharmaceutical companies and their prices in Lithuania, changing them to common names (medicine1, medicine 2, etc.) and in the reference countries, distinguishing 10 positions where the price differences are the greater.
For the drugs listed in the table, 10 pharmaceutical companies (Teva, Mylan Healthcare, GlaxoSmithkline, Sanofi, Pfizer, Novartis, Astra Zeneca, Novonordisk, Sandoz, Berlin Chemie. These pharmaceutical companies did not want to reduce the prices of 47 drugs), although the European countries offer similar therefore Lithuanian doctors lose the opportunity to prescribe these drugs to patients.
As announced this week, for this reason, doctors will not be able to prescribe up to 47 drugs to new patients starting in October, and will only be able to extend them to people who continue treatment. For new patients, doctors will be able to offer analog drugs that are just as effective.
SAM recalls that this week the Minister of Health Aurelijus Veryga officially addressed the representative offices of pharmaceutical companies in Lithuania and their headquarters, asking questions before 8 October. Reduce the prices of medicines so that they are similar to the prices of medicines offered in other European countries. Meanwhile, the State Health Insurance Fund (VLK) has been instructed to organize negotiations with these companies as a matter of urgency.
SAM notes that active substances are not excluded from the price list, which VLK updates four times a year. This means they can be re-prescribed to new patients at any time, as long as the manufacturers cut prices.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers reject accusations of higher prices
Delphi recalls that pharmaceutical manufacturers expressed their position on Thursday. According to the BNS, according to them, the Ministry of Health uses a flawed methodology to include drugs on the reimbursable list.
“We categorically reject any insinuation on the issue of supposedly especially rising prices. Our objective does not change: to continue to guarantee one of the lowest prices in Europe in Lithuania and its accessibility for patients,” said Agnė Gaižauskienė, Director of the Industry Association Innovative Pharmaceutical, in a comment to BNS.
According to her, the room for political innuendo arises because of the faulty drug pricing principles valid in Lithuania.
“We strictly adhere to them, so we hope that health institutions will also adhere to the coherence of the policies that they have developed, regardless of the political calendar. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure a real dialogue with the Ministry as soon as possible about the need to improve the price of medicines, involving both representatives of patients and doctors, taking into account world experience and current practice. “said A. Gaižauskienė.
According to her, drug manufacturers, in accordance with the procedure established by the Ministry, offer the latest drugs for the treatment of the most complex diseases to Lithuania at exceptionally low prices.
“However, every time the price list for reimbursable drugs is published, we hear the same request: lower prices even more,” said the association’s director.
According to her, there is constant communication with health institutions, seeking solutions to provide Lithuanian patients with access to the latest treatment methods, but there is a lack of coherence and constructive dialogue between the Ministry.
Rasa Bričkienė, Director of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, BNS said that strict changes have now been made to the drug reimbursement system, restricting competition in the market and freezing drug prices.
“In Lithuania, drug prices are fixed and the Ministry of Health requires specific manufacturers to reduce the price according to the lower price of the active substance from another manufacturer, often not even registered in Lithuania,” he said .
The director of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association stated that he had repeatedly drawn the authorities’ attention to the need to review the requirements and assess the prices of medicines supplied only to Lithuania and to increase the number of medicines that remained on the list. of prices.
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