First Steps To Ending German Positive Drug List

German Health Minister Horst Seehofer has made the first moves towards ending the controversial positive list of reimbursable drugs for prescribing by doctors, which was originally planned as part of the 1993 health reform but which has remained a draft.

The list is backed by the Social Democrat party and the health funds but has long been regarded by Mr Seehofer, the drug industry and doctors as superfluous and even damaging. The limit on reimbursables would force some chronically sick patients to pay for the drugs themselves, and Mr Seehofer has said it would mean the end for some drug firms. It would achieve no further cost reductions, and extra costs would be involved in the switch to other products, he adds. Finally, the minister and the industry note that the funds' drug spending has been kept under control as no other area of the health service by the 1989 health reforms.

The funds say they cannot understand the minister's position, as the list would parallel the fixed-price support regime and doctors' drug budgets as supporting "rational drug therapy." The Social Democrats say the list would ensure quality and it does not relate to cost control.