State audit finds half of new medicines approved at inflated prices in unsustainable system

Slovakia's Supreme Audit Office has found that half of newly approved medicines were categorized at higher prices than warranted, creating an unsustainable burden on public healthcare spending. The audit revealed that the state abandoned clear pricing rules for drug categorization and instead negotiated individual agreements with pharmaceutical companies, undermining the long-term financial sustainability of the healthcare system. The Supreme Audit Office, which oversees public spending and government efficiency, highlighted that this practice of case-by-case negotiations has created systemic problems in how Slovakia manages pharmaceutical costs within its public health insurance system.