Once a medicine is approved for the European market, it often takes a long time before it becomes available in the Netherlands. Longer than in surrounding countries. Professor Carin Uyl-de Groot explains how this is possible and what the possible solutions are.
How does that actually work with the authorisation and reimbursement of drugs in the Netherlands? If a medicine is approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), a manufacturer still has to negotiate the price separately with all 27 member states. Only once the negotiations with the Netherlands are successful can a drug be marketed here and be reimbursed by health insurers.
Manufacturers negotiate with large countries first
Negotiations between a country and manufacturer can take a very long time, and in the Netherlands this process takes longer on average than in neighbouring countries. In a programme broadcast by EenVandaag, Carin Uyl-de Groot, Professor of Health Technology Assessment at Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, explains why this is the case.
'Manufacturers go first to the larger countries where there are more patients who can use that drug. So in Germany, patients often have access to new drugs after only a month. The Netherlands then comes behind, and if the Netherlands then also starts to be more difficult in negotiations, because we are stricter than other countries, then you ask yourself as a manufacturer: where am I going to put my energy first?'
Together in Europe for faster access
Getting affordable drugs available faster is a goal in the major European research project ASCERTAIN, of which Carin Uyl-de Groot is coordinator. She argues that some form of negotiation is necessary, but that two things could be different. 'First, countries should collectively estimate the value of a new drug much faster. And then make a calculation per country of what you are willing and able to pay for it. That will be a different amount in Eastern Europe than in the Netherlands.'
She also points out that fast negotiations also mean profit for the manufacturer: 'A year earlier access, is also a year earlier turnover for you and that may well be at a low price. I try to make manufacturers aware of that, it's a win-win situation. I hope that will make negotiations much faster.'
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Watch the video of professor Carin Uyl-de Groot at EenVandaag (in Dutch).
More science stories? Check out our online magazine Erasmus Extra.
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