Representatives of EU pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement authorities held a meeting at Brdo pri Kranju on Monday, which was aimed at establishing an EU network of expert bodies in the area.
Health Minister Zofija Mazej Kukovic said that this was a very important meeting as EU members were facing the great challenge of securing people access to high-quality medicines and ensuring long-term sustainability of health care purses.
According to the minister, EU members had a clear interest to establish a network of expert bodies in the area, which would increase the quality of living.
The EU does not have a united drugs market but is a group of national markets. Kukovic Mazej believes this is the reason why pharma companies are often not interested in selling and marketing their products in certain markets, as these are not big and profitable enough.
She also highlighted the importance of incentives for innovation and development of new pharmaceuticals.
Stanislav Primozic of the national Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices said that the main aim of the initiative invisaging a network of drugs authorities was exchange of information on assessment of medicines and the financing of drugs from national health care purses.
According to him, such meetings will take place once or twice yearly.
Head of the European Commission's Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry Heinz Zourek meanwhile finds today's meeting an important step towards assuring high-quality health care.
In his opinion differences between member states are great and there is a lack of communication between them. He believes constant communication between doctors, drugs producers, patients and representatives of health care purses is necessary, on national and cross-border levels.
According to the Health Ministry, the network will work in coordination with the European Commission and the Pharmaceutical forum. Such an approach would enable more overview on drugs prices and financing in the EU.
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