Pharmaceutical pricing policies in Qatar and Lebanon: narrative review and document analysis

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed at reviewing and analysing the pharmaceutical pricing policies implemented in two middle-east countries. Methods: Official documents related to national pharmaceutical pricing policies were reviewed, and meetings with key informants in the registration and pricing departments in the Qatari and Lebanese ministries of public health were conducted. Key findings: As of April 2017, the laws currently in effect in Qatar and Lebanon are based on the latest versions of decrees enacted in 2011 and 2005 respectively. Both countries have implemented similar pharmaceutical pricing policies which apply only to the private sectors in both countries. Landing price in Lebanon is either free-on-board (FOB) or cost-insurance-freight (CIF) while it is only CIF in Qatar. External reference pricing and mark-up regulations were two of the common policies identified in both countries. For external reference pricing, the basket of countries considered and the price adopted were different. Mark-ups were applied with different schemes along the pharmaceutical supply chain in each country with Qatar imposing an overall higher mark-up margin. Moreover, Qatar utilized health technology assessment whenever such economic evaluation studies were available at the time of medicine registration. These pricing strategies applied to both public and private sectors in Lebanon, while they only applied to the private sector in Qatar. Conclusions: The pharmaceutical pricing policies implemented in Qatar and Lebanon are reflective of both the advancements in the human capital and financial resources of the nations and are in line with the World Health Organization-recommended pricing policies for developing countries.