Proposals in the US to reference drug prices in other countries could risk access to innovative orphan drugs by deterring companies from launching in Europe or by driving up prices. To counter the threat, European prices should be made more obscure, warned Jack Scannell, founder of UK-based consultancy firm JW Scannell Analytics.
Opaque Pricing Could Protect Europe From US Policy
Obscure drug pricing in Europe could help minimize an “access threat” posed by US pricing policies.

More from Europe
Swiss authorities have introduced temporary measures that will make it easier for health care professionals to import medicines that are either not authorized or not available in Switzerland, which will particularly benefit pediatric drugs, in light of ongoing shortages.
Both the EU Clinical Trials Regulation and the European Health Data Space Regulation have the potential to improve harmonization and be highly valuable for industry – but the importance of protecting company data will be paramount, a life sciences consultant says.
Manufacturers are engaging the European Commission and individual countries to allocate more health care spending to innovative medicines and align prices more closely to those in the US.
Non-Submissions To UK HTA Body Could Increase Unless Commercial Environment Improves, Warns Industry
Finding ways to lower the rebates paid by the pharmaceutical industry to the UK government and fostering partnerships to make the UK a more attractive launch market could help reduce the number of terminated technology appraisals conducted by NICE, the health technology appraisal institute, says the UK pharmaceutical industry.
More from Geography
Swiss authorities have introduced temporary measures that will make it easier for health care professionals to import medicines that are either not authorized or not available in Switzerland, which will particularly benefit pediatric drugs, in light of ongoing shortages.
Both the EU Clinical Trials Regulation and the European Health Data Space Regulation have the potential to improve harmonization and be highly valuable for industry – but the importance of protecting company data will be paramount, a life sciences consultant says.
With review and development uncertainly increasing, "it’s going to take longer for certain targets … to progress to a place where they’ve been derisked enough that big pharma is ready to write a big check," said Andrew Goodman of Paul Hastings.