[Reimbursement of generics in Croatia: should more have been done?].

BACKGROUND while numerous ordinances on drug pricing and reimbursement have been enacted, trying to suppress the drug expenditure in Croatia, it seemed there were inconsistencies in pricing procedures of some of the drugs. OBJECTIVES to show whether or not the pricing system given has had the desired result, we review pricing and reimbursement systems of generics in some of the EU countries and give suggestions for even more effective pricing and reimbursement system in Croatia. DATA AND METHOD IMS Sales Data for the years 2004 to 2007 were used to show the differences between desired and real price levels of generics within the control group. RESULTS detailed analysis of the observed group of drugs showed that inappropriately priced drugs accounted for 100% in the year 2004 and fell to 60% of total expenditure within the observed group in the year 2007. The reference pricing system should be enacted, free price setting and financial incentives for physicians and pharmacists, as well as private insurance packages for non-reimbursed service or drugs or co-payments.