OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this analysis was to estimate the impact of escitalopram (generic drug) reimbursement on the budget of the National Health Fund (NHF) in Poland. METHODS: The budget impact analysis was prepared for 5 years time horizon (2009 – 2013) from the public payer’s as well as patient’s perspective. Two scenarios were compared: present – without reimbursement of generic version of escitalopram and proposed - placing of escitalopram on the list of reimbursed drugs in Poland. It was assumed that escitalopram will take over a part of market of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective serotonin-noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). The analysis was performed in two variants: basic analysis, assuming new reimbursement limit for escitalopram which equals the retail price of generic escitalopram and alternative variant presuming equal reimbursement limits for escitalopram and venlafaxine. Additionally, the minimum and maximum case scenarios and one-way sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: Assuming the reimbursement of generic escitalopram in basic variant, the annual expenses from the budget of the NHF for major depressive disorder treatment would rise from 344,723 PLN in first year to 5,770,153 PLN in fifth year in comparison to present scenario. In alternative variant, the estimated expenses would rise from 144,833 PLN in first year to 2,716,183 PLN in fifth year. From patient’s perspective the expenses for MDD treatment would decrease in basic variant from 245,874 PLN to 4,829,704 PLN and in alternative variant from 45,984 PLN to 1,775,734 PLN in first and fifth year, respectively, in comparison to present scenario. CONCLUSIONS: Budget impact analysis showed that the reimbursement of generic escitalopram would increase expenses from the NHF’s perspective and savings from patient’s perspective.