Bundestag passes law to promote medical research
The German federal government intends to expand the negotiating room for medication prices - with the goal of reducing them. Pharmaceutical companies and the AOK health insurance fund can temporarily, until the end of June 2028, agree on confidential reimbursement rates for new medications. Furthermore, the promotion of academic studies is planned.
"The Medical Research Law had already made Germany an more attractive research location before its passage," explained Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) regarding the Bundestag decision. Many companies had already invested in anticipation of better framework conditions.
The decision of the Bundestag now confirms this for the companies. The planned measures would lead to better medical research in Germany, emphasized the Minister. However, many cancer diseases and dementia are still not curable. "Germany will once again be a major force in research and will make important contributions here."
The FDP health policy politician Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus welcomed the law as "a great success for our innovation location". The agreed measures would ensure "faster testing, bureaucracy reduction, and optimal research conditions". Germany would thus become a leader in research and development of innovative medications again, which would ultimately also benefit patients.
However, criticism comes from the AOK health insurance fund. With the law, "the medication expenses of the statutory health insurance and thus for 90 percent of the population will securely increase," predicted the association. The background is the planned regulation that pharmaceutical companies can in the future keep agreed medication prices with the AOK health insurance fund confidential, which would then apply for all statutory and private insured persons in Germany. The Vice-Chairwoman of the Spitzenverband, Stefanie Stoff-Ahnis, criticized the introduction of "secret prices" as "a step back in terms of fair reimbursement conditions".
The draft law of the Health Ministry must now be discussed in the Bundesrat - it does not need the approval of the Land Chamber. However, the Land Chamber can call the joint mediation committee of Bundestag and Bundesrat.
- Following the Bundestag's decision, Karl Lauterbach, the German Federal Government's Health Minister (SPD), suggested that Germany will regain its position as a significant player in medical research due to the planned promotion of academic studies and better framework conditions.
- The draft law proposing the expansion of medication price negotiation rooms, aiming to reduce costs, is currently being discussed by the Bundesrat, with the approval of the Land Chamber not required.
- The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds has expressed concern about the potential increase in medication expenses for 90% of the population due to the proposed law, which allows pharmaceutical companies to maintain confidential reimbursement rates for new medications.
- The new law, which has been welcomed by the FDP health policy politician Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus, aims to reduce bureaucracy, ensure faster testing, and provide optimal research conditions for pharmaceutical companies in Germany.5.arl Lauterbach emphasized that Germany's goal is to expand its negotiating power in medication pricing in order to decrease costs and improve accessibility to new medications, benefitting patients and citizens alike.
