Average price per item prescribed in the public health sector

Source. Authors calculations on the basis of data provided by OECD9 and Towse.15 

In contrast to this, the main objective of price regulation in Spain is to contain the pharmaceutical bill of the SNS.14 The Directorate-General of Pharmacy fixes the ex-factory price of each and every one of the presentations of the pharmaceuticals included in public health care. This authorized price is the maximum ruling price in both the public health sector and direct sales to the public in pharmacies. Laboratories can only make price increases above the maximum price fixed for each presentation when the government authorizes a general price revision. The markups of distributing wholesalers and pharmacists are also fixed by the authorities as a percentage over the exfactory price. 

In conclusion, we can say that pharmaceuticals compete more moderately or more keenly in the space of prices and characteristics at different levels of 

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Table 4.14 Average price per item prescribed in the public health sector...

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