Drugs boost Italian health regions' overspend

The Italian health service regions have estimated that the deficit onspending for 2000 and 2001 is some 16,000 billion lire ($7 million).

The main sources of the current high spending levels are reportedly pharmaceuticals and medical and other salaries. A report on Italy just published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows that the country has the highest number of doctors in Europe, at six per 1,000 of population.

The health care bill is estimated to be rising 6%-7% annually, and the signs are that total regional spending in 2002 is unlikely to be less than 150,000 billion lire.