German health ministry maintains rebates

Germany's Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) said it will maintain mandatory 16% drug rebates and a drug pricing freeze following its annual review of the measures. The ministry said the measures continue to be necessary because of rising drug costs and "significant" economic risk as a result of the debt crisis in Europe, as well as the fact that expected savings from Germany's drug pricing law AMNOG have yet to fully take effect. The measures, which were enacted in 2010 to counteract financial difficulties within the country's public health insurance funds (GKV), are set to expire at year end.

BMG also said the "small number" of companies requesting an exemption from the measures indicates that companies are not "disproportionately burdened." The Association of the German Pharmaceutical Industry (BPI) said the number is misleading because such exemptions are only granted if a company "basically demonstrates bankruptcy." ...