WORLD VIEW BLOG: Austerity-driven off-label prescribing must stop
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
It is worrying to observe how countries in Europe are increasingly challenging harmonized EU rules on authorizing drugs for the sake of cutting costs in their national health systems. It seems that in particular, off-label prescribing is now seen as a good way to make savings in healthcare spending. This hasn't always been the case. Off-label prescribing was largely limited to cases where no authorized treatment existed. In times of austerity, however, this has clearly changed.