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”What’s up with price controls?” Stakeholders’ views on the regulation of pharmaceutical pricing in Malaysia

Author

Listed:
  • Ye Shing Lourdes Loh
  • Audrey K L Siah
  • Sharon G M Koh
  • Wing Loong Cheong
  • Tin Tin Su

Abstract

Escalating costs have made the accessibility of drugs one of the biggest challenges faced by the Malaysian government. The government agreed to regulate drug prices by means of external reference pricing, but its proposed policy had a setback owing to much opposition from the pharmaceutical industry. The policy did gain support from the public and from non-governmental organisations because it ensured easy access to affordable medicines. Comments from public consultations with key stakeholders were used to explore stakeholders’ perceptions of the external reference pricing policy. A total of 140 comments were analysed for this study. Stakeholders’ views were classified as being from the Socioeconomic, industrial, and government sectors. To summarise, the government must carefully manage and consider stakeholders’ views to ensure a sound policy. Using Mendelow’s stakeholder mapping, this study mapped out stakeholders’ views in a systematic approach. The classification of different stakeholders’ views and recommendations led to suggestions for reviewing current practices in pharmaceutical pricing regulations in the Malaysian healthcare system. The analyses can be extended to other countries that face similar concerns.

Suggested Citation

  • Ye Shing Lourdes Loh & Audrey K L Siah & Sharon G M Koh & Wing Loong Cheong & Tin Tin Su, 2023. "”What’s up with price controls?” Stakeholders’ views on the regulation of pharmaceutical pricing in Malaysia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(12), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0291031
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291031
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Panos Kanavos & Anna-Maria Fontrier & Jennifer Gill & Olina Efthymiadou, 2020. "Does external reference pricing deliver what it promises? Evidence on its impact at national level," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 21(1), pages 129-151, February.
    2. repec:plo:pone00:0216563 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Boris Kaiser & Christian Schmid, 2016. "Does Physician Dispensing Increase Drug Expenditures? Empirical Evidence from Switzerland," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(1), pages 71-90, January.
    4. Shui Ling Wong & Saliza Ibrahim & Norazlin Abdul Kadir & Salbiah Mohd Salleh, 2019. "Access and Affordability of Medicines in Malaysia: Need for a National Pricing Policy," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 641-654, October.
    5. Luca Maini & Fabio Pammolli, 2023. "Reference Pricing as a Deterrent to Entry: Evidence from the European Pharmaceutical Market," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 345-383, May.
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