Overview

An important foundation of the WHO Regional Office for Europe’s health systems strengthening strategy is to ensure equitable access to cost-effective medicines and technology. Denmark has taken important measures that have not only helped to save costs but also ensured higher quality and more equitable use of expensive medicines. Two initiatives are central: 1) a centralized structure, in this case a public sector organization–Amgros–that carries out the tendering procedures and bulk purchasing for all hospitals in Denmark; and 2) the Danish Council for the Use of Expensive Hospital Medicines that assesses the clinical costs and benefits of expensive medicines and helps guide the selection of medicines by Amgros and clinicians. By investing in and combining these two processes the Danish government saved approximately €314 million in 2015.