Pulmican & Pulmicort price increase discussed on the 9th

Negotiation for coordination with NHIS when passed by the committee

The agenda to increase the prices of asthma drugs Pulmican and Pulmicort, suffering from supply and demand problems, will be discussed at the 12th Pharmaceutical Reimbursement Evaluation Committee held on the 9th.

 

On this day, the appropriateness of the drug price increase will be reviewed.

 

If it passes the Pharmaceutical Review Committee, it is expected that the drug price increase will be realized as early as December through adjustment negotiations with NHIS.

 

Attention is being paid to whether supply will increase due to drug price increases and whether the supply-demand problem will be resolved.

 

According to the industry on the 5th, Kunil Pharmaceutical and AstraZeneca Korea, suppliers of Pulmican and Pulmicort, applied to HIRA for adjustment of the upper limit of the drug, and the final review of the suitability of the application for adjustment will be held by the committee on the 9th.

 

Both drugs are used as a suspension and nebulizer for treating bronchial asthma and acute laryngotracheobronchitis in infants and children.

 

This is a representative drug whose supply and demand have been disrupted since last year as the number of respiratory patients has increased rapidly due to the impact of COVID-19.

 

Recently, the need to increase the prices of two drugs was raised in a public-private consultative body in response to the unstable supply and demand of medicines, and the adjustment process began.

 

The procedure for adjusting the upper limit amount is set when ▲ there is no alternative drug, ▲ a drug that is essential for medical treatment, ▲ a drug that is necessary for medical treatment but has a lower administration cost than a drug that can be replaced, ▲ or there is only one company in the drug with the same administration route and ingredients.

 

The committee plans to review whether the two drugs meet the conditions.

 

If it passes the committee, it will undergo adjustment negotiations with NHIS regarding the specific ceiling amount increase rate.

 

Currently, the upper prices for Pulmican and Pulmicort are 946 won and 1,000 won per bottle, respectively.

 

In the NHIS negotiations, an increase in supply is expected to be presented as a condition for increasing drug prices.

 

Considering that the previous negotiations for adjustment of acetaminophen and pseudoephedrine preparations were concluded in a short period of time, this price increase for budesonide preparations is also expected to be applied as early as December after completing the negotiations this month if passed by the Pharmaceutical Review Committee.

 

In the case of acetaminophen, for which a drug price increase was decided in December last year, the drug price increase is considered the most effective policy as a solution to the out-of-stock problem in that the supply and demand problem has gradually escaped after the upper limit amount was adjusted.