THE “PEOPLE’S Health Systems Movement” group has expressed concerns over the vacuum in group purchasing for expensive overseas drugs, as there is still no clarity over which state agency will continue the work formerly undertaken by the National Health Security Office (NHSO). The NHSO has acted as group purchaser of high-cost drugs for more than a decade and managed to negotiate the best prices, saving the country Bt5 billion a year while ensuring patients received vital medications, Nimit said. The NHSO also recommended that the government fund the group purchasing of drugs in a form of a fixed budget sent directly to the seven hospitals. According to the source, the People’s Health Systems Movement” group is upset that the bill does not authorise the NHSO to handle the procurement. “The group is also dismayed that the bill will separate the extra personnel budget from the subsidy.

Source: The Nation Bangkok August 03, 2017 15:33 UTC