New council for assessment of the use of expensive medicines in hospitals

The interest organisation Danish Regions has established a council for assessment of the use of expensive medicines in the Danish hospitals (in Danish Rådet for Anvendelse af Dyr Sygehusmedicin (RADS)).

According to the chairman of Danish Regions, Bent Hansen, the purpose of RADS is to cut down the expenses in relation to the use of expensive medicines as RADS' main task is to develop a common national recommendation list for the use of expensive medicines in the Danish hospitals. The recommendation list is intended to ensure that the Danish Regions will obtain higher discounts. Further, the recommendation list is intended to ensure rational and consistent use of expensive medicines throughout Denmark, especially the biological medicines used in the treatment for cancer, arthritis etc.

The pharmaceutical industry must expect that RADS' recommendations will have an impact on future AM-GROS tenders and the use of expensive medicines in general.

RADS has the following composition:

• 1 chairman - appointed jointly by the Danish Regions
• 1 representative from Danish Regions
• 2 representatives from each of the five regions
• 1 representative from AMGROS
• 1 representative from the National Board of Health
• 1 representative from the Institute for Rational Pharmacotherapy
• 1 representative appointed from the Danish Association of Clinical Pharmacology