Italy simplifies over-the-counter generics price and reimbursement

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Italy simplifies over-the-counter generics price and reimbursement

Home/Policies & Legislation | Posted 26/03/2021 0 Post your comment

The Italian Drugs and Medicines Agency (Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco, AIFA) has simplified its price and reimbursement procedure for class C generic/biosimilar medicines. As of February 2021, generic/biosimilar versions of over-the-counter class C reference products will automatically be classified as class C products.

The details of this simplified procedure were first announced in December 2020 [1].
It does not apply to generic/hybrid/biosimilar medicines that include any additional therapeutic indications compared with the reference medicinal product. This also removes the need for negotiations with the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Department and with AIFA’s Technical Scientific advisory Committee (CTS) and the Price and Reimbursement Committee (CPR).

The new simplified approach applies to products with package interchangeability with reference products. Here, the packages have the same quantity of active ingredient, pharmaceutical form, route of administration, methods of release and dosage units, which leads to automatic inclusion in class C for reimbursement purposes. However, any generic/hybrid/biosimilar medicines featuring packages differing in strength, pharmaceutical form, number of dosage units and methods of release, from those of the reference medicinal product, are designated to class ‘C Non-Negotiated’ (C(nn)) and cannot be automatically included in class C.

AIFA updates the Transparency Lists for generics

Biosimilars policies in Italy

LATIN AMERICAN FORUM – Coming soon! To further enhance the objectives of GaBI in sharing information and knowledge that ensure policies supportive of safe biosimilars use, we are pleased to announce that we will be launching a new section on GaBI Online and GaBI Journal, the ‘Latin American Forum’ (in Spanish) featuring the latest news and updates on research and developments in generic and biosimilar medicines in Latin America. Register to receive the GaBI Latin American Forum newsletter. Inform colleagues and friends of this new initiative. LATIN AMERICAN FORUM – Próximamente! Para fomentar los objetivos de GaBI sobre la difusión de información y conocimiento sobre las políticas de apoyo que garantizan el uso seguro de medicamentos biosimilares, nos complace anunciar el lanzamiento de una nueva sección en GaBI Online y GaBI Journal, el ‘Latin American Forum’ (en español), que presentará las últimas noticias y actualizaciones en investigación y desarrollo sobre medicamentos genéricos y biosimilares en Latinoamérica. Regístrese para recibir el boletín informativo GaBI Latin American Forum. Informe a colegas y amigos sobre esta nueva iniciativa.

Reference
1. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Italy publishes new guidelines on pricing and reimbursement of generics and biosimilars [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2021 Mar 26]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Guidelines/Italy-publishes-new-guidelines-on-pricing-and-reimbursement-of-generics-and-biosimilars

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