German Doctors Seek

End To Seehofer Reforms

The federation of German panel doctors has called for an end to the health service cost-control and reform regime, and urged the Bonn coalition government to keep its promise and allow the regime to expire at the end of 1995. Speakers at the federation assembly in Stuttgart stressed their commitment to economic use of treatments but rejected a state-controlled spending budget.

The health funds have meanwhile urged the doctors to enter talks about regional budgeting to control drug spending, on the assumption that the regime will end in december. And the drug industry association, the BPI, says a large number of drug firms will face major problems if the new positive list is introduced in the form recommended by the funds. A survey among the BPI's 350 member companies, with 131 responding, showed that 40% of companies stood to lose over 60% of current sales. Total sales volume affected would be about 2.3 billion Deutschemarks ($1.6 billion), according to the BPI.