New Healthcare research report from Business Monitor International is now available from Fast Market Research

Boston, MA -- (SBWire) -- 12/23/2013 --As a result of the high and increasing average age in the Netherlands, our outlook for healthcare expenditure in the country is broadly positive. On the other hand, we maintain that the pharmaceutical sector in the Netherlands will not see a return to positive growth until 2016. Despite expectations for a return to positive economic growth in 2014, the government will persist with austerity measures to comply with the EU's budget criteria. We therefore maintain that further restrictions on medicines prices under the Medicines Prices Act, increased uptake of generic drugs, insurers' preference policies will work to create a subdued outlook for drugmakers operating in the country.

Headline Expenditure Projections

- Pharmaceuticals: EUR6.88bn (US$8.74bn) in 2012 to EUR6.81bn (US$9.06bn) in 2013; -1.0% in local currency terms and 3.7% in US dollar terms. Forecast unchanged from previous quarter.
- Healthcare: EUR73.27bn (US$93.05bn) in 2012 to EUR74.48bn (US$99.06bn) in 2013; 1.6% in local currency terms and +6.4% in US dollar terms. Forecast revised upwards from previous quarter.

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Risk/Reward Ratings

The Netherlands has continued its descent in BMI's Q114 Risk/Reward Ratings (RRRs) for the 14 key Western European markets. The country now weighs in at 10th in our ratings, having fallen from eighth in Q413. At an unchanged 66, its overall RRR score remains only slightly below the regional average of 67. This is due to the rise of Finland, and the incorporation of Denmark in our ratings system - both of which have overtaken the Netherlands. While the country offers drugmakers a relatively low-risk operating environment, poor market prospects - due to pressures on pricing and reimbursement and the market's maturity - will continue to weigh down the country's overall standing.

Key Trends And Developments

- Contrary to a 2012 coalition accord, in September 2013, NIS News Bulletin reported that healthcare costs will not become income-dependent after all. This is a departure from the government's previous decision to limit insurance policies for reimbursement from 2015. This would push more of the financial burden onto the patient, but clearly reduce insurance expenditure, with the authorities aiming to save as much as EUR1.3bn per annum. The coalition government has also decided to scrap the so-called levy discount (hefingskorting) for people who earn more than 55,991 euros per year. All citizens will continue to pay the first EUR350 of health costs themselves (except those for general practitioners, obstetricians and maternity care).
- The Netherlands' Foundation For Pharmaceutical Statistics (SFK) reported that October 2013 saw medication prices fall under the Medicines Prices (WGP) Act. On October 1, the new maximum price for drugs fell by almost 2%. SFK notes that medicine prices are now more than 37% lower than they were in October 2007.

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