Pricing and reimbursement
WHO/Alexander Kozachenk
WHO supports countries in developing and implementing strategies to contain cost and optimize use of medical products. In the countries in transition, this means helping them set up and support regulation, health technology assessment, pricing and reimbursement systems, as well as other relevant supply related matters.
WHO collaborates with European Union (EU)-funded networks and projects including mapping out national medicine reimbursement policies in the EU countries (Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Information) and enhancing the exchange of information and experiences on medicine pricing and reimbursement.
WHO also supports the authorities in the transition countries in building capacity for evaluating medicines to include in their essential medicines list and reimbursement system.
Country decisions on procurement, pricing and reimbursement must be informed by accurate and up-to-date information on prices to ensure value for money. WHO/Europe supports countries in gaining access to price information from other countries, as well as in monitoring prices within their own markets. Several of the transition countries have started applying the standard WHO methodology for measuring and monitoring drug prices, which makes use of the WHO/Health Action International tool for measuring prices and availability of medicines.
