Exploring the consequences of greater price transparency on the dynamics of pharmaceutical markets

OECD, Sean Robbins as external expert

8th September 2022

Price transparency for pharmaceuticals is a hot and delicate topic. To frame the necessary policy debate, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) undertook an exploration of the potential consequences of greater price transparency on market dynamics. The work included a roundtable and a series of semi-structured interviews, with participation by 19 experts in pharmaceutical pricing, economics of pharmaceutical markets, competition, and law. With an extensive review of the current practice and relevant literature as a preface, the resulting report presents the key findings from those consultations.

Our managing partner Sean Robbins was one of these 19 experts that provided input during this process. Have a look at the insightful outcome:

Multi-indication drugs: Can one price fit all?

Bárbara Magalhães

7th July 2022

An increasing number of medicines have shown to be effective in more than one indication, which leads to several price setting and reimbursement challenges as drug value might differ in each indication. Indication-based pricing (IBP) could solve some of the challenges of the current uniform price system, however, its implementation in Europe is still associated with major operational hurdles. What are the main factors influencing the market access of multi-indication drugs? How economically attractive is IBP for both payers and manufacturers? Which mechanisms are in place in Europe to minimize multi-indication pricing challenges and facilitate patient access? In this blog note, we are providing some insights on the subject.

Add-on payments mechanism: challenges and opportunities for access of innovative drugs in the hospital setting

Cristina Freire Sanz

3th May 2022

Inpatient healthcare services are contributing significantly to healthcare expenditures. In many countries, inpatient services (including medicines) are funded according to a DRG (Diagnosis-Related Group). Unfortunately, innovative, high-cost medicines at launch are often not sufficiently covered by these reimbursement systems which in turn disincentivizes hospitals to adopt and use these new treatment options. Why are DRG payment systems not made for high-cost medicines? What are the existing solutions for this issue? And what are the challenges and opportunities in the key markets? In this blog note, we are providing some insights on the subject.

Is Turkey pulling the plug on the medicines brought from abroad policy?

Efe Erdeş

5th April 2022

In December 2018, Turkey took its first measures to restrict the early access to medicines via the named patient program called “Medicines Brought from Abroad” list (MBFA, Yurtdışı İlaç Listesi) by limiting this benefit to a maximum of 3 years. The new law enforced manufacturers to apply for MA within these 3 years of duration of the program, and in case of failure of the MA filling, then the medicine might be constantly removed from the program. Accordingly, last December, the deadline for MA filling for the medicinal products supplied through this route prior to the amendment of 2018 was expired. What are the market access implications for those products that omitted the MA filling? Does MBFA still constitute an option for early access to Turkish market? What could be the best P&R route in Turkey to follow post-MBFA? In this blog note, we are providing some insights on the subject.

The new litmus test for early access in France: Is your product really innovative?

Karin Steinbach

7th March 2022

How safe is that orphan drug designation?

Sean Robbins

1st February 2022

An Orphan drug designation (ODD) can provide important incentives for a product during both clinical development and the market access stage. Although obtaining an ODD during a drug’s clinical development can be relatively easy, maintaining it at the time of regulatory approval has become increasingly difficult. In the following blog note, we discuss the requirements associated with maintaining an ODD in Europe, raise key questions for market access professionals about the relevance of having an ODD, and provide recommendations on how to optimize your chances of keeping the ODD.

New ways to pay for antibiotics

Natali Pennese

10th October 2021

Today, antimicrobial resistance is a serious and growing problem for healthcare systems, as it shrinks the range of treatment options available, setting many infections that were once easily treatable in a path to become deathly conditions. Paradoxically, the development and launch of new antibiotics have only been decreasing in the last years. Why has Pharma abandoned the antibiotics field, and what is being done by healthcare systems to make it again an attractive investment? In our blog note, we discussed those disincentives, as well as the most current policies being explored to tackle the issue in European countries.