Hungary: No Deal Yet On 1998 Prices

The Hungarian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association says noagreement has yet been reached with the National Health Insurance Fund on pharmaceutical prices for 1998, reports MTI Econews. The producers refuse to accept the Fund's proposal for a price rise below the rate of inflation, or the Welfare Ministry's request for a price reduction.

Erik Bogsch, chief executive of Richter Gedeon, is reported as saying that patients are having to pay increasing amounts for medicines, not because of any unfounded increase in producer prices, but rather because the amount allocated for drug subsidies has been falling in real terms for years, and the annual amount allocated for subsidies is below the required amount each year.

The manufacturers believe that if no pricing agreement is reached with the Fund, then patients will inevitably have to pay more for medicines.