PPRI Conferences

The PPRI Conference was held in Vienna on 29 June 2007.

Situated in the baroque hall of the Austrian Society of Sciences in Vienna, the PPRI Conference brought together 250 delegates from 36 countries, representing national authorities, European and international institutions, specific media, academia and consultancy business, pharmaceutical industry and distribution actors.

Conference programme 

Programme

Presentations

• Kees de Joncheere (WHO Europe): Welcome by WHO Europe
• Rolf Schwanitz (State Secretary, German Ministry of Health on behalf of EU Presidency): Key issues of the German EU Presidency in the field of Pharmaceuticals
• Claudia Habl (GÖG/ÖBIG, Austria): PPRI - Objectives and outcomes
• Sabine Vogler (GÖG/ÖBIG, Austria): PPRI - Comparative analysis
• Andreas Seiter (World Bank): Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement – Inputs from a global perspective
• Richard Laing (WHO Geneva): Pharmaceutical Pricing – Availability, Affordability and Price Components in developing and transitional countries
• Athos Tsinontides (Social Health Insurance, Cyprus): International price comparison – The Cypriot example
• Nina Witiska (DIMDI, Germany ): The “Festbetragssystem”/reference price system – Adoptions in the course of several German Health Reforms
• Daiga Behmane (Medicine's Pricing and Reimbursement Agency, Latvia): Pharmaco-economics – A tool for ensuring value-for-money? Experience from the Baltic co-operation
• Thord Redman (Pharmaceutical Benefits Board, Sweden): Cost-effectiveness from a societal perspective – A crucial feature of the Swedish reimbursement system
• Jean Pruneau (Health Canada, Canada): The Canadian Pharmaceutical Landscape
• Ingrid Rosian (GÖG/ÖBIG, Austria): PPRI - future perspectives

Photo Gallery

Panorama

Gallery

A critical look at pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies and the sharing of experiences

A variety of pricing and reimbursement policies is used in health care systems to ensure the access to essential medicines for all patients. These policies aim at allocating the resources in health care systems in an equitable way and are sometimes used to contain costs in the treatment of patients. In practice many forms of pricing and reimbursement policies exist (e.g. external price referencing, reference price systems etc.). The recent financial crisis puts an extra burden on already strained resources in health care systems; a fact which leads to an increased demand for an efficient and rational use of medicines. Pharmaceutical policies satisfy the potential conflicting demands of balancing the needs for access to medicines and containing costs. At this conference selected existing pharmaceutical policies are subjected to scrutiny if they fulfill the expectations in health and economic terms.

The conference specifically looks at “burning” questions in pricing and reimbursement policies of medicines – from a global and European perspective and in the light of the current financial crisis. Tools for promoting the rational use of medicines with a special focus on the interface between the primary and the hospital sector will be presented and discussed by renowned international experts (e.g. WHO, OECD, European Commission).

The WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Policies in Vienna invites you to discuss pharmaceutical policies and their practical implementation in the light of current challenges with high ranking experts and representatives in the pharmaceutical field.

Objectives

The conference aims at the scientific analysis and discussion of specific aspects of pricing and reimbursement policies and exchanging experiences and information of best-practice models. The dialogue of all stakeholders in the pharmaceutical field should be facilitated.

Who attended the conference?

• Regulatory authorities in the field of pricing and reimbursement of medicines (policy makers, administration)
• Payers in the health care system (e.g. sickness funds, ministries, medicines agencies, private health insurance institutions)
• Stakeholders in the health care system (e.g. physicians, pharmacists) and relevant interest representations
• Researchers, academics
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Editors, journalists
• Patient and consumer associations

Conference programme and downloads

• Conference Programme
• Members of the Scientific Programme Committee
• Abstract book
• Abstract poster book
• Country poster book
• Presentations
• Conclusions and lessons learnt
• Gallery

A critical outlook on pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies

A variety of pricing and reimbursement policies are used in different health care systems to ensure access to essential medicines for all patients. These policies aim at allocating the available resources in an equitable as well as efficient manner, balancing the often conflicting needs of access to medicines and containing costs. In practice many forms of pricing and reimbursement policies are used (e.g. external price referencing, reference price systems etc). The recent financial crisis has put an extra burden on already strained resources in health care systems, a fact which has led to many policy reforms as well as initiatives for efficient and rational use of medicines. Current developments, for instance regarding new high-cost medicines, bring further challenges and pressure for change, however also constitute large opportunities for health care systems.

The conference aimed to bring together thought leaders from around the globe to discuss ‘burning’ issues in pricing and reimbursement policies of pharmaceuticals – both from a global as well as European perspective. Current challenges and opportunities were discussed, in particular also policy coordination and interface management issues. Further, the impacts and lessons learned from policies implemented in response to the financial crisis were debated.

The WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Policies in Vienna invited participants to take part in the discussions with renowned experts and high-level representatives in the pharmaceutical field.

Objectives

The conference aimed to present on-the-frontier academic analysis as well as foster discussion of challenges in pricing and reimbursement policies. The dialogue of all stakeholders in the pharmaceutical field should be facilitated.

Who attended the conference?

• Regulatory authorities in the field of pricing and reimbursement of medicines (policy makers, administration)
• Payers in the health care system (e.g. sickness funds, ministries, medicines agencies, private health insurance institutions)
• Stakeholders in the health care system (e.g. physicians, pharmacists) and relevant interest representations
• Researchers, academics
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Editors, journalists
• Patient and consumer associations

Conference programme and downloads

• Conference Programme
• Members of the Scientific Programme Committee
• Presentations
• Abstract poster book (20,5 MB)
• Country poster book (13,3 MB)
• Abstracts from the 3rd International PPRI Conference 2015 - Supplement to the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice - available at https://joppp.biomedcentral.com/articles/supplements/volume-8-supplement-1 
  Download as pdf.
• Gallery

About the Conference

A variety of pricing and reimbursement policies are used in different health care systems to ensure equitable access to medicines for all patients at affordable costs. However, millions of patients all over the world lack access to innovative treatments and medicines, and this has many different reasons. Access to medicines still remains a challenge in the twenty-first century, and policy-makers aim to balance the partially conflicting objectives of providing access to medicines, containing costs and rewarding innovation in pharmaceutical development. In recent years, some very expensive medicines have entered the markets, putting the long-term financial sustainability of health systems at risk. In this context, the design of the pricing and reimbursement policies is key: innovative approaches are needed to tackle the medicine access challenge! 

In order to foster the debate on equitable access to affordable and cost-effective medicines, the following perspectives will be discussed at the conference:

• Strand 1: Local challenges, global learnings? What can other countries learn from best-practice examples in the field of pricing and reimbursement of medicines?
• Strand 2: ‘Fake’ prices – Are price surveys still useful? The value of list prices against the backdrop of external price referencing and managed entry agreements.
• Strand 3: Fix the future? Innovative policy options need to be developed, agreed upon and implemented.

The conference aims to bring together thought leaders from around the globe to discuss ‘burning’ issues in pricing and reimbursement policies of medicines – both from a global as well as European perspective. Current challenges and opportunities will be discussed, in particular limitations and improvement of current policies and innovative options for the future.

The WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Policies in Vienna invites you to take part in the discussions with renowned experts and high-level representatives in the pharmaceutical field.

Objectives

We are committed to contribute to affordable, equitable and sustainable access to safe, effective and quality essential medicines worldwide, with a focus on Austria and Europe, thus, we are pleased to provide a platform for thought leaders, experts and researchers in the pharmaceutical field:

• to present research findings and on-the-frontier academic analyses and to showcase best practice examples of pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies
• to discuss current challenges and develop strategies to tackle them
• to support policy-makers by offering tools to be well prepared and equipped to address the challenges of the future.

Who should attend the conference?

• Public authorities responsible pricing and reimbursement of medicines (policy makers, administration)
• Payers in the health care system (e.g. social health insurance , ministries, medicines agencies, private health insurance institutions)
• Researchers, academics, students
• Patients and consumers and their associations 
• Health professionals (e.g. physicians, pharmacists) and their associations
• Economic actors (e.g. pharmaceutical companies and their associations)
• Editors, journalists

For further information, please click on the links below!

Conference programme and presentations

Abstract Poster book and Country Poster Book

Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice (Supplement / Publication of abstracts and Commentary)

Gallery

Fees and Cancellation Policy

Call for Abstracts and Abstract Submission (closed)

Advisory Board and Scientific Programme Committee

Practical Information

Conference Organisers

Equitable access to quality-assured, safe and affordable medicines, vaccines and medical devices is fundamental to a functioning health system. Over the last few decades, innovations in life sciences have saved millions of lives yet millions more worldwide still suffer from a lack of access to medicines that they would need for acute and/or chronic diseases. Countries face a range of obstacles including rising prices for new medicines putting the financial sustainability of healthcare systems at risk, shortages and stock-outs of essential medicines and irrational use of medicines (e.g. antibiotics). This does not only affect economically weak countries but has become increasingly challenging for rich countries as well. In many countries, out-of-pocket payments for medicines continue to be the main drivers of financial hardship for patients and their families. Medicines need to be available and affordable in order to make a meaningful contribution to public health. A variety of pharmaceutical policies in pricing, procurement and reimbursement is used in different healthcare systems to ensure equitable access to medicines for all patients at affordable costs. Multifaceted challenges require comprehensive approaches but are current policies designed appropriately to achieve the desired outcomes? Are health systems prepared to address future developments while current challenges in affordable and equitable access are yet to be met? Thus, innovative policies are needed.

To foster the debate on equitable access to affordable and cost-effective medicines, the following topics were addressed at the conference:

• Strand 1: Local challenges, global learnings?
  What can we learn from experience, including good-practice examples, in the field of pharmaceutical pricing, procurement and reimbursement policies in other countries?
• Strand 2: Strengthening the evidence base
  How can we promote equitable access to affordable and cost-effective medicines by generating and sharing evidence? The role of managed entry agreements (MEAs), increased transparency, real-world data and health technology assessments.
• Strand 3: Futureproofing pharmaceutical policies
  How can innovation in policy making improve equitable access to affordable and cost-effective medicines? Fair pricing concepts, crisis preparedness, considering environmental aspects and increased patient involvement as well as coordination and collaboration are all drivers for the future.

The conference brought together thought leaders from all over the world to discuss these ‘burning’ issues in the pricing and reimbursement policies for medicines – both from a global and a European perspective. Around 250 participants of more than 40 countries worldwide discussed discussed solutions and best practice models.

Once again, the importance of an intensive dialogue of all stakeholders and exchange of information as well as solidarity was stressed as the most promising paths/approaches to improve access to equitable and affordable medicines.

1. Programme and presentations
2. Conference Supplement to the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice 
   1. Editorial
   2. Abstracts of the conference
3. Country poster book (20MB!)
4. Abstract poster book (35MB!)
5. Gallery (Copyright GÖG/A.Gruber)
6. Advisory Board and Scientific Programme Committee
7. Conference organisers