Analysing criteria for price and reimbursement of orphan drugs in Spain

Xavier Badia, Alicia Gil, José Luis Poveda-Andrés, John Shepherd, Marina Tort

There are differences between countries regarding data requirements for orphan drug evaluation and it  is also unknown which criteria might determine the price and reimbursement decision. This study aimed to identify the key  criteria for price and reimbursement of orphan drugs in Spain, approved by the European Commission, between January 2012 and June 2018. A descriptive analysis of the orphan drugs and its characteristics was performed. Outcomes criteria assessed  were: therapeutic area, existence of alternative treatment, rarity of the disease, clinical trial outcomes and therapeutic  positioning report assessment. Hypotheses for each variable regarding Spanish pricing and reimbursement were made  and tested with two regression analyses. Out of 78 orphan drugs approved by the European Commission, 82.1% asked pricing and reimbursement in  Spain. From this, 43.8% had pricing and reimbursement approved and 20.3% rejected. Mean time from Spanish  marketing authorisation approval to pricing and reimbursement approval was 12.1 ± 5.1 months. Having a positive  therapeutic positioning report and no therapeutic alternatives would be associated with a positive pricing and  reimbursement in Spain. It remains challenging to establish which are the driving criteria for pricing and reimbursement approval  of orphan drugs in Spain. Further research should be done including other variables that might influence the pricing and  reimbursement final decision in Spain.