First Benelux Joint Pricing and Reimbursement Pilot Fails Over Vertex’ Orkambi

The first pilot for the Benelux joint pricing and reimbursement process has failed. Negotiations between Vertex and the ministries of health in Belgium and the Netherlands have ended with no agreement on price for cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi.

Cystic fibrosis word cloud — Joint Pricing and Reimbursement Talks for Vertex' Cystic Fibrosis drug fail • Source: Shutterstock

The first pilot in the initiative to develop a joint reimbursement process between smaller EU countries has been brought to an end because there was “no prospect of an acceptable price,” according to the Dutch heath ministry. Authorities in Belgium and the Netherlands had been in talks over Vertex’ cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi (lumacaftor/ivacaftor).

Dutch and Belgian authorities terminated talks with Vertex, saying that the drug was not cost effective and that it therefore...