Medicines can pose a financial burden for patients and their caregivers. In this interview led by Nina Zimmermann, Sabine Vogler, head of Pharmacoeconomics at the Austrian National Public Health Institute talks about co-payments for medicines in European countries and protective measures to ensure that no one is left behind.
Interview: Financial burden of household arising from medicines
Experts of the Pharmacoeconomics Department produced a factsheet which provides an overview of co-payment regulations for medicines as well as of protective mechanisms such as exemptions from or reductions of co-payments for vulnerable groups for the countries of the WHO European Region. Furthermore, the fact sheet illustrates the actual financial burden that patients encounter when filling prescriptions for selected medicines in a few European countries.
Fact sheet: Financial burden of medicines for patients: Co-payments and protective measures in European countries
Additional information
- Vogler S, Haasis MA, Dedet G, Lam J, Bak Pedersen H (2018): Medicines reimbursement policies in Europe. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen
- Vogler S, Dedet G, Bak Pedersen H. (2019): Financial Burden of Prescribed Medicines Included in Outpatient Benefits Package Schemes: Comparative Analysis of Co-Payments for Reimbursable Medicines in European Countries. Appl Health Econ Health Policy 17 2019; 803–816; doi:10.1007/s40258-019-00509-z
*** Video and factsheet were prepared for the European Public Health Week 2021 - Joining forces for healthier populations ***