Poland
In 2012 the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ) is estimated to have saved as much as US $620 million on reimbursement expenditures, thanks to legislative changes brought in under the Reimbursement Act.
The Polish pharmaceutical market contracted severely in 2012, owing to harsh pricing measures and strict margins imposed on wholesalers, pharmaceutical makers and retailers. Moreover, over the course of the year, the burden of pharmaceutical spending has shifted to the Polish consumer as the strict reimbursement regime has caused private contributions to prescription payments to rise. The Polish market expects some growth in 2013, mostly driven by private consumption, as the government deepens its cuts to drug expenditures.