Program pilots pre-pricing for medical tech

Initiative to set guidelines for novel products awaiting market approval

Healthcare security authorities will step in earlier to assess pricing policies for novel medical products in a bid to speed up their entry into clinical use after market approval, according to a recently released National Healthcare Security Administration document.

Normally, pricing procedures for innovative medical technologies and equipment take place only after drug regulators approve a product, and it often takes time for a product to be added to the insurance charging catalog and reach patients.

Under the nationwide pre-pricing pilot program outlined in the document, provincial-level healthcare security authorities will begin pricing guidance and evaluation at an earlier stage before market authorization, such as when a new technology enters clinical research or a new device enters the special review process.