ITALY ADDS GENERICS TO REIMBURSEMENT LIST
Italian drug regulator AIFA has added nine new drugs to its reimbursement list, known as the Prontuario. The treatments include five generic versions of the beta-blocker carvedilol, as well as branded products for HIV/AIDS, depression and anxiety.
The expansion of the Prontuario comes after recent criticism of from the Italian generics industry association Assogenerici and the European Generics Medicines Association, which both claim that the Italian government is not doing enough to promote the generics sector.
The two bodies have cited a recent example where the regional health authorities in Sicily opted to cut costs through the introduction of prescription charges rather than by promoting the low-cost sector.
The inclusion of a number of branded drugs on the list shows that despite a desire to reduce health spending, the government remains committed to reimbursing added-value drugs. Many Italians have traditionally preferred branded products. Since July 2004, however, AIFA has added 474 new listings, including 54 products designated as "innovative," 10 "orphan" drugs and 268 generics.
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