Wednesday 19 June 2019

Benefits Of International Reference Pricing China And Japan

By Betty Sanders


The ever-escalating cost of healthcare has made it difficult for most people to access health care services. Governments are, therefore forced to step in and control prices to ensure universal access. Various strategies can be used to determine the cost of medicines, and IRP is an emerging system in this sector. When it comes to International Reference Pricing China and Japan stand to gain a lot due to their economic and geographic similarities. For more details on how these two countries can benefit from this system, read on.

There is a streamlined cost of medicines. Before, the same drug could go for different prices within the same country. These differences could be quite big percentages. IRP has eliminated such disparities in market discrimination. Now, the cost of drugs is not only across the country, but also across the region.

There is greater market access. Streamlining of prices not only removes disparities, but also increases the range of reach of drugs. Japan and China can trade the same drug across their borders at relatively the same cost. Hence, companies can focus on producing high-quality medicines rather than just competing for markets.

IRP limits the control of companies over the costs of medicines. There are companies that are always out to fleece patients. Their products are sold way over the market prices simply because they are patented. This can limit access to health care, especially among the poor. Governments want to make sure that everyone can afford health care.

Patients also stand to get better treatment. Most patients keep away from hospitals because they know that costs are way beyond their reach. However, when prices are capped, there is a maximum amount that the patent can spend. This will increase their confidence in treatment and increase access.

The prices for medicines have been reduced greatly. In any system where there is control on pricing, finding a method that benefits everyone is never easy. However, the IRP ensures that drug manufacturers get their work's worth, and patients get value for their money. This has greatly curtailed the prices.

IRP is simple and cheap. Many systems fail at the implementation stage. This is because they are rigorous and require a lot of information to be implemented successfully. However, when countries share similar economic and geographic environments such as China, and Japan do, they can benefit from IRP greatly.

Implementation of the system is fairly easy. Some systems, such as the economic evaluation require a lot of technical analysis for values to be attained and for implementation to be successful. With IRP, on the other hand, implementation can be done even with little resources. All that is required is to pass the information to policy-makers and regulators.

Over the years, the IRP has gained increased usage. It is mostly used in Asia but is also dominant in Europe. The United States is also considering its adoption. As this growth is witnessed across the globe, there is a lot that other countries can learn from China and Japan.




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