Dutch Drug Prices "25% Too High"

The Dutch Minister of Health, Els Borst-Eilers, has said that pharmaceutical prices in the Netherlands are the highest in Europe, and that they are at least 25% too high. This is despite the fact that the Dutch consume far fewer medicines than other European countries, she added.

Last month, the Minister reached agreement with the Ministries of Finance and Economic Affairs for the introduction of measures aimed at saving up to 800 million guilders ($465.7 million) a year on the health care budget. These measures are reported to include an essential drugs list, drug price reductions and moves to encourage generic prescribing.