Dutch Government Reimbursement Blacklist Rises To 35

In the Netherlands, the number of new drugs that are not being reimbursed because of the closing of Addendum 1B of the Pharmaceutical Assistance Regulation (the Geneesmiddelen Vergoeding Syteem), has risen to 35.

Patients' health care in the Netherlands may be endangered since new and better drugs that are available in other European countries may not be prescribed to sick fund insured people. From the long list of products on the waiting list, it appears that generally New Chemical Entities are involved or improved formulations, from which patients might benefit.

Nefarma, the Dutch association of the innovative pharmaceutical industry, sent a letter mid-November to the members of the Second Chamber of Parliament (lower house) asking for a quick solution. In the Annual Survey of Care 1997, a government publication by the Ministry of Health compiled by civil servants (thus not a political publication), an extra budget of 20 million guilders ($11.7 million) has been reserved for new drugs. The budget, according to Nefarma, is completely insufficient to provide a solution to this problem. Nefarma is afraid that the availability of drugs will slow down compared to other European countries.