The incentives to push cheaper no-brand drugs were revealed last Friday with the publication of a joint ordinance from the Ministries of Finance and Health.
The measure aims to boost the quota of generic medicines sold in Portugal and reduce state spending on reimbursable drugs.
Health Minister Adalberto Campos Fernandes said the government’s objective is for the sale of generic drugs to make up 60 percent of the market.
Last month a decree law was published in which it established the possibility for pharmacies to offer discounts on generic drugs and be reimbursed by the State for each package of the cheapest options.
More information on that specific reimbursement was released at the end of last week, in which it was revealed the payback would be of around 35 cents per unit.
The law states “”pharmacies will be paid 35 cents per pack of medications sold with price equal to or lower than the fourth lowest-price homogeneous group [which are drugs with the same active substance for a particular disease]”, and explains the incentive aims to promote the “rational and most cost-effective use of those drugs.”
The new regime comes into effect from 1 January 2017 and could be revised in 2018 after being assessed by a designated follow-up committee.