German KBV Backs Economic Prescribing

Leaders of the German panel doctors' federation, the KBV, have caused surprise ahead of their annual conference by calling for a limit on health care services, more economic prescribing of drugs and medicines and improved round-the-clock outpatient care.

The KBV says the core of its recommendations to the government is the drug sector. It wants the negative list of non-reimbursable products expanded, estimating that if a number of drugs of disputed efficacy were added to the list, annual savings of 1.8 billion Deutschemarks ($1.16 billion) could be achieved. A further 2.5 billion marks ($1.61 billion) could be saved by intensified prescribing of generics.

The KBV say its aim will be to oppose the drug companies' marketing by their own information strategy, with the aim of cutting out unnecessary prescriptions. Doctors would also agree at local regional level as to which drugs merited reimbursement from both a pharmacological and economic standpoint.