Germany’s Drug Pricing Reforms Legislation Moves to Parliament

The German government’s draft law to reform the nation’s drug-pricing system has been referred to Parliament, where it faces hearings at the end of September. Final passage is expected this fall and changes could come into effect as early as January, the consulting group IHS Global Insight says. The bill would end drugmakers’ freedom to set prices for new drugs and require them to prove a product’s benefits outweigh the costs compared with existing treatments as a basis for price negotiations with public health insurers. It also would expand reference pricing to all generic drugs.
International Pharmaceutical Regulatory Monitor