New Italian Scheme Aims To Lower Parallel Import Prices

Medicines Agency Publishes First Parallel Trade Report

Once a major source of parallel exports because of its low drug prices, Italy is now taking steps to reduce medicine spending by targeting the burgeoning parallel import market.

Italy's medicines regulator also deals with pricing and reimbursement issues • Source: Alamy

The Italian regulatory agency, AIFA, has launched a new, more streamlined price negotiation mechanism for parallel imported medicines that is intended to help rein in the drugs bill by pushing down prices and implementing a “drastic reduction” in reimbursement decision times.

AIFA, which is responsible for drug pricing as well as regulatory matters, says that “transparent” criteria have been established for...