International Pharmaceutical Price Differences
Research report
International Pharmaceutical Price Differences was released on 20 July 2001. The report compares the prices that manufacturers receive for 150 pharmaceuticals under Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme with those obtained in seven other countries. It has drawn on information obtained from consultations with government officials, industry representatives and academics both in Australia and overseas. Also see:
- Pharmaceutical Prices Lower in Australia, media release issued with the research report
- Pharmaceutical Price Differences study information
Related publications include:
- Productivity Commission Submission to the National Review of Pharmacy
- The Pharmaceutical Industry (Industry Commission Inquiry Report)
CONTENTS
Preliminaries
Cover, Copyright, Foreword, Contents, Abbreviations and explanations, Glossary, Terms of reference, Key Messages
Overview
Methodology and data
Key results
Reasons for price differences
1 Introduction
1.1 Background to the study
1.2 Scope of the study
1.3 Previous studies
1.4 The Commission's approach
1.5 Outline of the report
2 Government interventions
2.1 Patent protection
2.2 Pharmaceutical subsidy arrangements
2.3 Cost-containment policies
2.4 Other government interventions
2.5 Conclusion
3 International price comparisons
3.1 Methodology
3.2 International price comparisons
3.3 Price comparisons by therapeutic group
3.4 Sensitivity of results
3.5 Conclusion
4 Reasons for price differences
4.1 Subsidy arrangements
4.2 Cost-containment mechanisms
4.3 Market launch of new pharmaceuticals
4.4 Price differences for individual categories
4.5 Conclusions
A Consultation
A.1 List of visits
A.2 Roundtable attendees
A.3 Overseas consultation
B International subsidy arrangements
B.1 Canada
B.2 France
B.3 New Zealand
B.4 Spain
B.5 Sweden
B.6 United Kingdom
B.7 United States
C Methodology
C.1 Introduction
C.2 Choosing the basket of molecules for comparison
C.3 Choosing molecules within the basket
C.4 Matching molecules
C.5 Prices used
C.6 Converting prices to a common currency
C.7 Weighting manufacturer prices
D Data sources
D.1 Summary of sources
D.2 IMS Health data
D.3 Australia
D.4 United States
D.5 United Kingdom
D.6 Canada
D.7 New Zealand
D.8 France
D.9 Sweden
D.10 Case study
E Results in detail
E.1 Analysis of matching results
E.2 List price comparisons
E.3 Diagnostic tests
E.4 Price comparisons with Federal Supply Schedule
E.5 Difference between higher and lower estimates of prices
E.6 Therapeutic groups
E.7 Molecule age and launch delay
F Case studies of price differences
F.1 Ranitidine
F.2 Paroxetine
F.3 Salmeterol
References
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