Swedish govt eyes setting up a "NICE"

Sweden's government is currently preparing a bill, which is expected tobe presented to parliament late this year (and processed in the parliamentary bodies early-2002), based on the findings of a public enquiry which were released last October aimed at proposing ways to reduce the development of costs of medicines for the country.

Included in these proposals, according to the understanding of the Swedish Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry, LIF, is one to create a new authority in Sweden with the task of deciding which products can be included in the reimbursement system. In other words, something along the lines of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, which performs this task for the National Health Service in England and Wales.

LIF notes that, according to statements from the Minister of Health, the government is seriously considering the proposal and it is likely that such an authority will also be given the job of negotiating prices for those products that will be subject to reimbursement. The association also believes that the County Councils in Sweden will be given a strong position on the board of such a new authority.