New Findings Reported from University of the Witwatersrand Describe Advances in Health Insurance (Adapting Pharmacoeconomics to Shape Efficient…

New Findings Reported from University of the Witwatersrand Describe Advances in Health Insurance (Adapting Pharmacoeconomics to Shape Efficient Health Systems en Route to UHC - Lessons from Two Continents)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Managed Care Weekly Digest -- New research on Health Insurance is the subject of a report. According to news reporting originating from Johannesburg, South Africa, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "Pharmacoeconomics is receiving increasing attention globally as a set of tools ensuring efficient use of resources in health systems, albeit with different applications depending on the contextual, cultural and development stages of each country. The factors guiding design, implementation and optimisation of pharmacoeconomics as a steering tool under the universal health coverage paradigm are explored using case studies of Germany and South Africa."

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the University of the Witwatersrand, "German social health insurance is subject to the efficiency precept. Pharmaco-regulatory tools reflect the respective framework conditions under which they developed at particular points in time. The institutionalization and integration of pharmacoeconomics into the remit of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care occurred only rather recently. The road has not been smooth, requiring political discourse and complex processes of negotiation. Although enshrined in the National Drug Policy, South Africa has had a more fragmented approach to medicine selection and pricing with different policies in private and public sectors. The regulatory reform for use of pharmacoeconomic tools is ongoing and will be further shaped by the introduction of National Health Insurance. A clear vision or framework is essential as the regulatory introduction of pharmacoeconomics is not a single event but rather a growing momentum. The path will always be subject to influences of politics, economics and market forces beyond the healthcare system so delays and modifications to pharmacoeconomic tools are to be expected."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Health systems are dynamic and pharmacoeconomic reforms need to be sufficiently flexible to evolve alongside."

For more information on this research see: Adapting Pharmacoeconomics to Shape Efficient Health Systems en Route to UHC - Lessons from Two Continents. Frontiers In Pharmacology, 2017;8():715 (see also Health Insurance).

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting J. Miot, Dept. of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2017.00715. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

Keywords for this news article include: Johannesburg, South Africa, Health Insurance.

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