Health Minister Sasko Insists On Pharma Policy Changes

Bratislava, May 26 (TASR) - Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) insists on the need for changes in pharmaceutical policy, pointing out that, under the current system, hundreds of millions of euros are being used inefficiently, TASR learnt on Monday. Sasko emphasized again that the changes will only come into force once a mutual consensus is reached. „Since I took office, I have insisted on very specific steps in the area of pharmaceutical policy so that we meet the basic and absolutely legitimate expectation of the Slovak patient — that as many patients as possible have access to the highest quality treatment and medicines — and that the resources, which often disappear into a sort of black hole of inefficiency, are returned to the system and that every single euro is used as effectively as possible,” the minister said at a press conference. Sasko reiterated that multiple institutions, most recently the Supreme Audit Authority, have pointed out inefficiencies in the current system. The Health Ministry had proposed changing the terms for the entry of new medicines into the reimbursement system under public health insurance, starting as of June. The ministry warned that under the current rules, funding for medicines would not be sufficient this year. The proposal was criticized by the opposition as well as by expert and patient organizations, who warned it would worsen or block Slovak patients’ access to medicines. mf