Decisions on pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceutical products within public health systems are a national competence for EU Member States. However, the issue of pricing and reimbursement of medicines has been the subject of recent discussion at an EU level.
The Council of the European Union issued conclusions in December 2014 on the issue of innovation for the benefit of patients which included the issue of co-operation on the pricing of medicines between Member States. The Council conclusions invited the European Commission and Member States to examine opportunities for potential co-operation on a voluntary basis in the field of pricing and reimbursement.
I have indicated previously in discussions at an EU level on this issue that I am supportive of proposals that would deliver greater transparency in prices. However, I am mindful that this may be difficult to achieve as Member States negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to agree commercially confidential discounts on the price of medicines and to establish patient access schemes.
A number of mechanisms exist at a European level to assist with the issue of pricing and reimbursement of medicines. In 2008 the network of Competent Authorities on Pricing and Reimbursement was created of which Ireland is a member. This is an informal platform which discusses the issues and challenges in the field of pricing and reimbursement of medicines. Ireland also has access to the EU Euripid Database which was launched in 2010. This is a web based database which provides up to date information on the prices of medicines which can be accessed by participating Member States.
It is also worth noting that a Joint Procurement Agreement for medical countermeasures is in place at an EU level which enables countries, including Ireland, to procure pandemic vaccines and other medical countermeasures on a group rather than individual basis.
