The experts of the Pharmacoeconomics Department, in its role as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement take a bridging, and even translational, role between policy-makers and the scientific community. This is reflected in the PPRI secretariat’s work with the PPRI network which also results in outputs in terms of scientific publications:
- Policy-oriented research in coordination with decision-makers:
Policy-makers often require answers to specific questions, which can be provided in applied policy-oriented research. The team of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement has been specifying research questions and has been performing research, together with the members of the PPRI network on such policy topics.
Examples include:- Vogler S, Haasis MA, Dedet G et al. (2018): Medicines reimbursement policies in Europe. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen
- WHO Regional Office for Europe (2015): Access to new medicines in Europe: technical review of policy initiatives and opportunities for collaboration and research. 2015, Copenhagen
- Contribution to the (comparative) pharmaceutical systems research and pharmaceutical policy analysis:
By providing country information through PPRI Pharma Profiles, posters and also responses to PPRI network queries, PPRI network members offer (comparable) policy information on pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement that is usually not published in other literature. This is also of interest for researchers who aim to do policy analyses and require contextual information on national pharmaceutical systems.
Examples include:- Related to pharmaceutical systems research:
- Vogler S, Zimmermann N, de Joncheere K (2016): Policy interventions related to medicines: Survey of measures taken in European countries during 2010–2015. Health Policy 120(12): 1363–1377
- Vogler S, Zimmermann N, Leopold C et al. (2011): Pharmaceutical policies in European countries in response to the global financial crisis. Southern Med Review 4: 22-32
- Related to the use of PPRI data in pharmaceutical policy analysis:
- Vogler S, Österle A, Mayer S (2015): Inequalities in medicine use in Central Eastern Europe: an empirical investigation of socioeconomic determinants in eight countries. International Journal for Equity in Health 14: 124
- Leopold C, Mantel-Teeuwisse A.K, Vogler S, et al. (2014): Effect of the economic recession on pharmaceutical policy and medicine sales in eight European countries. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 92:630–640D
- Related to pharmaceutical systems research:
- Insight information and quality assurance:
The trustful relationship between the PPRI secretariat and the PPRI network members and the interest of the network members in research activities ensures that staff of public authorities participates in surveys by providing data and validating findings.
Examples include:- Vogler S, Schneider P (2017): Do pricing and usage-enhancing policies differ between biosimilars and generics? Findings from an international survey. Generics and Biosimilars Initiative (GaBI) Journal 6(2): 79-88
- Vogler S, Habimana K, Zimmermann N (2016): Stakeholder preferences about policy objectives and measures of pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement. Health Policy and Technology 5 (3): 213–225
- Vogler S, Zimmermann N, Leopold C (2013): Discounts and Rebates Granted for Medicines for Hospital Use in Five European Countries. Open Pharmacoeconomics & Health Economics 5: 1-10
For PPRI-related publications consult https://ppri.goeg.at/publications.