Pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia: comparative analysis
ABSTRACTObjectives In this paper, we outline and compare pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies for in-patent prescription medicines in three Maghreb countries, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, and explore possible improvements in their pricing and reimbursement systems.Methods The evidence...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Market Access & Health Policy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20016689.2023.2244304 |
| _version_ | 1797226766010417152 |
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| author | Hajer Dahmani Ines Fradi Leila Achour Mondher Toumi |
| author_facet | Hajer Dahmani Ines Fradi Leila Achour Mondher Toumi |
| author_sort | Hajer Dahmani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACTObjectives In this paper, we outline and compare pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies for in-patent prescription medicines in three Maghreb countries, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, and explore possible improvements in their pricing and reimbursement systems.Methods The evidence informing this study comes from both an extensive literature review and a primary data collection from experts in the three studied countries.Key findings Twenty-six local experts where interviewed Intervieweesincluded ministry officials, representatives of national regulatory authorities, health insurance organizations, pharmaceutical procurement departments and agencies, academics, private pharmaceutical-sector actors, and associations. Results show that External Reference Pricing (ERP) is the dominant pricing method for in-patent medicines in the studied countries. Value-based pricing through Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a new concept, recently used in Tunisia to help the reimbursement decision of some in-patent medicines but not yet used in the pricing of innovative medicines in the studied countries. Reimbursement decision is mainly based on negotiations set on Internal Reference Pricing (IRP).Conclusion Whereas each country has its specific regulations, there are many similarities in the pricing and reimbursement policies of in-patent medicines in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. The ERP was found to be the dominant method to inform pricing and reimbursement decisions of in-patent medicines. Countries in the region can focus on the development of explicit value assessment systems and minimize their dependence on ERP over the longer-term. In this context, HTA will rely on local assessment of the evidence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:56:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-804285309d6d404887398227302070bc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2001-6689 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T14:30:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Market Access & Health Policy |
| spelling | doaj.art-804285309d6d404887398227302070bc2024-04-03T03:34:15ZengMDPI AGJournal of Market Access & Health Policy2001-66892023-12-0111110.1080/20016689.2023.2244304Pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia: comparative analysisHajer Dahmani0Ines Fradi1Leila Achour2Mondher Toumi3Department of Pharmaceutical Quality Assessment, National Laboratory of Control of Medicines, Tunis, TunisiaPharmacy, University of Pharmacy of Monastir Tunisia, Monastir, TunisiaMarket Access, Specialist Pharmacist in Clinical Pharmacy at CNGMO Tunisia, Tunis, TunisiaProfessor in Public Health, Public Health Department, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, FranceABSTRACTObjectives In this paper, we outline and compare pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies for in-patent prescription medicines in three Maghreb countries, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, and explore possible improvements in their pricing and reimbursement systems.Methods The evidence informing this study comes from both an extensive literature review and a primary data collection from experts in the three studied countries.Key findings Twenty-six local experts where interviewed Intervieweesincluded ministry officials, representatives of national regulatory authorities, health insurance organizations, pharmaceutical procurement departments and agencies, academics, private pharmaceutical-sector actors, and associations. Results show that External Reference Pricing (ERP) is the dominant pricing method for in-patent medicines in the studied countries. Value-based pricing through Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a new concept, recently used in Tunisia to help the reimbursement decision of some in-patent medicines but not yet used in the pricing of innovative medicines in the studied countries. Reimbursement decision is mainly based on negotiations set on Internal Reference Pricing (IRP).Conclusion Whereas each country has its specific regulations, there are many similarities in the pricing and reimbursement policies of in-patent medicines in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. The ERP was found to be the dominant method to inform pricing and reimbursement decisions of in-patent medicines. Countries in the region can focus on the development of explicit value assessment systems and minimize their dependence on ERP over the longer-term. In this context, HTA will rely on local assessment of the evidence.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20016689.2023.2244304Pricingreimbursementin-patent-pharmaceuticalsAlgeriaMoroccoTunisia |
| spellingShingle | Hajer Dahmani Ines Fradi Leila Achour Mondher Toumi Pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia: comparative analysis Journal of Market Access & Health Policy Pricing reimbursement in-patent-pharmaceuticals Algeria Morocco Tunisia |
| title | Pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia: comparative analysis |
| title_full | Pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia: comparative analysis |
| title_fullStr | Pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia: comparative analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia: comparative analysis |
| title_short | Pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia: comparative analysis |
| title_sort | pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in algeria morocco and tunisia comparative analysis |
| topic | Pricing reimbursement in-patent-pharmaceuticals Algeria Morocco Tunisia |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20016689.2023.2244304 |
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