International Reference Pricing (IRP) Analysis for Generic Medicines in Türkiye in 2024
Author(s)
Ekin Begum Ozdemir, MSc1, Sevval Erdogan, BSc1, OZNUR SEYHUN, BSc, MFE, MSc2, Guvenc Kockaya, MSc, PhD, MD1.
1Econix Research, Samsun, Turkey, 2Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
1Econix Research, Samsun, Turkey, 2Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey.
OBJECTIVES: This study examines how Türkiye's International Reference Pricing (IRP) system affected generic medicine prices in 2024. Under this system, Türkiye sets medicine prices by comparing local prices with those in selected reference countries, using the lowest manufacturer’s sale price among them to determine the official price.
METHODS: The analysis was conducted using the Detailed Medicine Price List published by the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency on December 30, 2024. The focus was exclusively on generic medicines. Therefore, products were excluded if they were non-reimbursed, over-the-counter, original brand medicines, traditional herbal medicinal products, single generics without equivalents, or cases where Türkiye was used as a reference country or multiple reference countries were involved. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel, considering manufacturer sale prices, reference prices, country-based distribution, and medicine classification.
RESULTS: A total of 3,521 generic medicines were analyzed. The average manufacturer’s sale price in Türkiye was ₺2,236.01, while the average reference price from source countries was €185.80. The main reference countries were Greece (24.61%), France (19.78%), Italy (12.39%), Spain (12.19%), Portugal (6.42%), Germany (3.89%), and Switzerland (2.87%). The number of medicines referenced by each country was as follows: Greece (866), France (696), Italy (436), Spain (429), Portugal (226), Germany (137), and Switzerland (101). Switzerland showed the highest average manufacturer prices among these countries, with an average of ₺19,950.
CONCLUSIONS: In 2024, Greece continued to serve as the predominant reference country for the pricing of generic medicines in Türkiye. However, its declining share—falling by approximately 2% compared to 2023—signals a subtle but notable diversification in reference pricing strategy. This shift suggests a potential rebalancing of Türkiye’s external price referencing (EPR) framework, possibly motivated by evolving economic, regulatory, or availability factors in other European markets.
METHODS: The analysis was conducted using the Detailed Medicine Price List published by the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency on December 30, 2024. The focus was exclusively on generic medicines. Therefore, products were excluded if they were non-reimbursed, over-the-counter, original brand medicines, traditional herbal medicinal products, single generics without equivalents, or cases where Türkiye was used as a reference country or multiple reference countries were involved. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel, considering manufacturer sale prices, reference prices, country-based distribution, and medicine classification.
RESULTS: A total of 3,521 generic medicines were analyzed. The average manufacturer’s sale price in Türkiye was ₺2,236.01, while the average reference price from source countries was €185.80. The main reference countries were Greece (24.61%), France (19.78%), Italy (12.39%), Spain (12.19%), Portugal (6.42%), Germany (3.89%), and Switzerland (2.87%). The number of medicines referenced by each country was as follows: Greece (866), France (696), Italy (436), Spain (429), Portugal (226), Germany (137), and Switzerland (101). Switzerland showed the highest average manufacturer prices among these countries, with an average of ₺19,950.
CONCLUSIONS: In 2024, Greece continued to serve as the predominant reference country for the pricing of generic medicines in Türkiye. However, its declining share—falling by approximately 2% compared to 2023—signals a subtle but notable diversification in reference pricing strategy. This shift suggests a potential rebalancing of Türkiye’s external price referencing (EPR) framework, possibly motivated by evolving economic, regulatory, or availability factors in other European markets.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
HPR127
Topic
Health Policy & Regulatory
Topic Subcategory
Reimbursement & Access Policy
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas