Robert Sauermann, head of the department of pharmaceutical affairs in the Main Association of Austrian Social Security Institutions, which publishes the national code of reimbursement, provides an in-depth look into how drugs are assessed before being placed onto the reimbursement list as well as the challenges faced when negotiating with the pharmaceutical industry. Furthermore, he gives an insight into the introduction of generic and biosimilars into the market and the reform developments he would like to see enacted in the future to create a more sustainable Austrian healthcare system.
Could you please introduce to our international readers the Main Association of Austrian Social Security Institutions and the role of the Department of Pharmaceutical Affairs?
"All in all, it is a balancing act. We must find the equilibrium between drug prices, which have risen drastically in several therapeutic areas in the last decade, and overall benefits to the Austrian patients."
