Germany's BPI Attacks Drugs List Project

German pharmaceutical industry association, the BPI (which representsthe broad drug industry), has attacked the joint proposal for drug lists from the panel doctors' federation, the KBV, and the public-sector health funds, the GKV. These lists would detail those drugs which doctors could prescribe without affecting their 1998 drug budgets, but the BPI says the plan would hinder the use of advanced drug therapies.

BPI managing director Peter Dewein points out that drug market trends show that new preparations are actually taken up quite quickly by doctors. This means that drug lists become rapidly outdated and so should be avoided.

....And Argues Against Pack Size Controls In addition, the BPI has directed its fire at proposals for the control of drug pack sizes linked to treatment indications, which both the funds and panel doctors want to use to limit costs. Mr Dewein says these in effect mean giving therapeutic advice to doctors and emasculating the doctor's role.