Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Biotech / Medical : Pharma News Only (pfe,mrk,wla, sgp, ahp, bmy, lly) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (822)	9/17/1998 11:36:00 AM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1722

EU Health Systems Plan to Limit Viagra Coverage By Anne Swardson Washington Post Foreign Service Thursday, September 17, 1998; Page A27 PARIS, Sept. 16-The governments of Europe, where the impotence drug Viagra was approved by the European Union on Tuesday, are worried their taxpayer-financed national health systems will be drained by a flood of new patients eager for the pills. The arrival of Viagra in the European market of 380 million people has been eagerly awaited. Le Monde newspaper in France devoted a front-page article and another full page to it two weeks ago. In Switzerland, the only European country where the prescription pill is already available, $1.4 million in Viagra has been sold since it went on the market in July. That's 20 cents worth for every Swiss citizen, though it is considered likely that some of the Swiss customers actually are border-crossing French, Germans and Italians. Because nearly all EU countries pay for at least some health care with government money, the expected success of Viagra means more government spending. In an attempt to curb what is predicted to be rampant demand, several European governments have said their national health programs will not reimburse patients for the cost of the drug. But they cannot stop people from going to the doctor to be treated for impotence. Those appointments are taxpayer-financed in many countries. Britain's National Health Service said Monday it will not pay for Viagra prescriptions for a few weeks while officials sort through the cost and equity issues. "Media coverage of this drug to date has created expectations that could prove a serious drain on the funds of the NHS," said Frank Dobson, the secretary of state for health. In France and Italy, where prices are expected to run $8 to $10 per pill, consumers will not be reimbursed for Viagra purchases, although visits to the urologist are. In Germany, public and private health plans generally will not reimburse for Viagra unless a patient is suffering from depression or another impotence-related illness. "The door is open to the imagination of the doctors" in finding ways to categorize Viagra treatments, a German official said. In Britain as well, officials will look for ways to make Viagra available to people who have a medical need as opposed to "pleasure and recreational purposes," said Health Department spokesman Philip Ayledt. Approval of new drugs in Europe is under the control of the institutions of the 15-nation EU. So under Tuesday's ruling, countries cannot ban Viagra from pharmacy shelves. "But who pays for it is up to the member states," said European Commission spokesman Jochen Kubosch. Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer of Viagra, has been careful not to heighten European expectations. The company's Web site on Viagra says, "The information provided on this site is intended only for residents of the United States." But preparations have been made. All of Europe, plus some countries in Africa, will be supplied by one Pfizer factory in Amboise, a town in the French Loire Valley. That factory has been producing just for Switzerland -- which is not a member of the EU and thus can approve new drugs on its own schedule -- but is ready to gear up for some 30 additional countries. "In principle we should be able to satisfy all demand," Pfizer France spokeswoman Sylvie Cukier said. c Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company washingtonpost.com