The latest AIFA report on “Monitoring of National and Regional Pharmaceutical Expenditure” for January-December 2023 reveals insights into Italy’s pharmaceutical expenditure and adherence to budgetary constraints.
- Net expenditure: The net expenditure for Italy in 2023 was €7,700.7 million, showing a slight increase of €25.5 million from the previous year.
- Direct Purchases The cap was 7.95% of the national healthcare expenditure need (the total expenditure required to meet the healthcare needs of the nation). However, spending reached €13.49 billion, exceeding the cap by €3.36 billion.
- Conventional Pharmaceutical Spending: The cap was set at 7.00% of the national healthcare expenditure need, amounting to €8.92 billion. Actual spending was €8.08 billion, staying within the cap and generating a surplus of €832.9 million
- Innovative Medicines: Expenditure on innovative medicines was €770.2 million (net of payback). This spending is aligned with the innovative medicines fund established by the government.
- Payback Contributions: Pharmaceutical companies paid a 1.83% payback to regions, amounting to €163.5 million, and contributed a total of €424.2 million through various payback mechanisms
- Consumption Trends:
- The number of prescriptions increased slightly by 0.6% to 567.3 million.
- The total daily doses dispensed decreased by 1.3%, highlighting a trend towards more efficient pharmaceutical use.
Despite efforts to control costs, Italy’s pharmaceutical expenditure in 2023 has surged, highlighting the critical challenge of balancing healthcare needs and budgetary constraints.
Source:
AIFA. Monitoring of Pharmaceutical expenditure. Published on 08 July 2024. https://www.aifa.gov.it/en/-/monitoraggio-della-spesa-farmaceutica-gennaio-dicembre-2023