"More Competition, Less Regulation," Says Nefarma

Netherlands' pharmaceutical industry wants to be recognized as a partnerof the patient, the care provider, the insurer and the government, according to the new president of the Dutch drugmakers' association Nefarma, Mr G Worm. He told a recent Nefarma symposium that only through dialogue between all parties can there be accessible and affordable health care.

However, a number of changes have to be implemented and, says Nefarma, it will also be necessary to move to more competition and less regulation. Creating new barriers to novel drugs means that existing inefficiences continue. Dynamics and new attitudes will provide a better answer than conservative policy in cost containment in the long term, said Mr Worm.

Mr A Rietveld, interim manager of the Ministry of Health's Department of Drug Provision, made an analysis of all the players in the field of health care; the government, the drug sector, quality, approvals and new developments.