Expensive medicines
The cost of medicines (particularly expensive ones) is rising rapidly and forms a sizeable item in the total healthcare expenses. The NFU has made it one of its points for attention.
The umcs play an important societal role by contributing actively to the discussion on expensive medicines. The NFU and umcs want to counteract the rising cost by bundling knowledge and quality and improving the effectiveness of new medicines. The NFU also considers it important to ensure that medicines are and remain easily accessible for every Dutch person. We realise this partly by participating in various projects and initiatives. We are also carrying out a joint action plan with the Dutch Hospitals Association (Nederlandse Vereniging van Ziekenhuizen, NVZ), Federation of Medical Specialists and Zorgverzekeraars Nederland (Dutch healthcare insurers umbrella organization, ZN).
COVID-19
The NFU is committed together with the umcs to the bulk purchase of medicines (bundling forces). On the one hand, the forces of the iZAAZs (purchasing combination of hospital pharmacies and umcs) are bundled, while on the other, joint purchasing procedures are conducted with Zorgverzekeraars Nederland (ZN) and the Dutch Hospitals Association (NVZ).
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a similar collaboration. To be able to meet the rapidly growing demand for medicines in the intensive care units for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, the Netherlands Association of Hospital Pharmacists (NVZA) has coordinated the availability of these medicines nationwide since April 2020. It was a joint decision of the NFU, NVZA, NVZ, BG Pharma, Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) and the Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG), commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS).
