German Drug Prices Not Rising, Says BPI

Germany's drug industry association the BPI has said that the country's pharmaceutical companies are not in a position to push through widespread price rises in 1995, despite the expiry of the government's prices moratorium at the end of 1994.

The BPI adds that the reason for this is a sharp increase in competition between German drug companies. There are also segments of the market in which producers are not yet free to set prices, although such segments are rapidly contracting.

Nevertheless, from this month, 66% of the reimbursable drug market in Germany is subject to the government's fixed-level prices support regime, under which the health funds determine maximum prices for reimbursement.