Guidelines on collective procurement of prescription drugs

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets has drawn up guidelines to inform hospitals and health insurers about the room that the competition rules offer for collective procurement of prescription drugs for medical specialist care. ACM observes that, in some cases, there may be some hesitation to collaborate, even if cooperation would be in the interest of patients and the insured. With these guidelines, ACM wishes to offer more clarity about the opportunities that the competition rules offer for collective procurement.

ACM had previously released the draft version of these guidelines. Interested parties were given the opportunity to comment on these guidelines. In addition, ACM organized two roundtable discussions with executives of group purchasing organizations (or joint purchasing organizations) of hospitals, and with health insurers to give them the opportunity to ask questions or to indicate whether there was still some uncertainty. Based on their comments, ACM has clarified several parts of the guidelines.