NHIS expands info disclosure about drug pricing negotiations

and the results of agreements will be available

The NHIS website will label the drugs as new drugs, medicines exempt from drug pricing negotiations, and medicines with expanded indications

The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) has decided to expand the scope of information disclosure on its website.

Starting in April, the public will have expanded access to information regarding drug pricing negotiations.

 

Information on the types of negotiations of drugs under review and the outcomes of agreements will be made open to the public.

 

According to industry sources on the 28th, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), in agreement with the pharmaceutical industry, is expected to expand the disclosure of information related to drug pricing negotiations.

 

Starting from May 2019, people will be able to access information related to drug pricing negotiations by going to ‘NHIS Website-Pre-release Information-Laws/Business Standards-Standards for long-term care reimbursement-Drug pricing negotiations menu.’ The website provides information related to product and pharmaceutical company names of new drugs under drug pricing negotiations, the date of registration, and a list of medicines that concluded drug pricing negotiations.

 

Previously, the NHIS disclosed the information on the website after notifying the pharmaceutical company and following the legal process.

 

Negotiation details and submission documents related to the pharmaceutical company's trade secrets were excluded.

 

However, many have pointed out that such information alone is insufficient to fulfill the rights of citizens and patients to access information.

 

For example, the website currently discloses information on ‘new drugs’ among medicines under drug pricing negotiations.

 

Moreover, the outcomes of the concluded negotiations are not available.

 

Considering the criticism, the NHIS has decided to expand the scope of information disclosure.

 

Starting in April, new drugs, 'medicines exempt from price negotiations,' and 'medicines with expanded indications' that are under negotiation will be disclosed.

 

Additionally, after April, the scope of disclosure will be extended to include medicines subject to negotiation orders from the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW).

 

Furthermore, the NHIS plans to post the agreement outcomes of the drugs that concluded negotiations.

 

Currently, the NHIS does not disclose information on agreement details and only posts medicines that concluded negotiations.

 

There were instances where drugs renewing risk-sharing agreements (RSA) made it onto the list despite failed renegotiations, as initial negotiations were completed.

 

It is anticipated that people can easily find accurate information on medicines under negotiation and agreements reached.

 

“During the meeting, we have notified pharmaceutical companies about the measures to expand information,” an official of the NHIS said.

 

“If pharmaceutical companies with drugs subject to negotiation orders do not raise objections upon receiving notification of disclosure, their details will be posted on the website.”