Health Minister Kamil Šaško. (source: TASR - Jaroslav Novák)
A draft decree from the Health Ministry could effectively halt the inclusion of new drugs in the country’s public health insurance system, triggering an outcry from doctors, patient groups and medical professionals. Critics warn that the move could further erode access to modern treatments, already among the worst in the European Union.
The ministry, led by Kamil Šaško from the Hlas party, submitted the proposal for public consultation last week. If approved, it would come into force in June and set significantly stricter cost-effectiveness thresholds that new medicines must meet to be reimbursed by health insurers.
Officials admit that the move is driven by a lack of funds. “Since the funds allocated for 2025 must cover drugs already on the reimbursement list, it will not be possible to categorise new medicines next year, even if they meet the legal criteria,” the ministry wrote, citing insufficient budget reserves. While it aimed to save €200 million on drug spending, it expects savings to reach only €40 million.
The decree is inspired by Hungary “due to the economic, social and cultural similarities between Hungary and the Slovak Republic”. However, the Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Industry points out that Hungary ranks among the worst in the EU on several key healthcare indicators.
Pharmacists and clinicians have condemned the proposal. “There is a fundamental drop in the willingness to fund drugs from public money if their benefit to the patient is below 1.5,” said Ondrej Sukeľ, president of the Slovak Chamber of Pharmacists, telling Denník N that Slovakia already lags behind much of the EU in access to new therapies. The changes will push more decisions into the opaque system of individual exceptions granted by insurers, he added.
