The price of prescription drugs decreased by an average of 7.47%.
The Deputy Director of Planning, Budgeting and Pricing at the Ministry of Health and the Supervisor of Prices at the Ministry of Health, Haim Huppert, announced today that on January 1, 2023, the maximum prices of approximately 1,500 prescription drugs with patents that are controlled according to Chapter E of the Law on Supervision of Commodities and Services, will decrease by the rate An average of about 7.47% compared to their price in 2022.
It is important to note that the price control is on the maximum price for the sale of the drugs, and that the consumers’ deductible to the health insurance funds is also derived from it, in accordance with the collection plans of the health insurance funds.
The price of non-prescription drugs remains the same as in previous years.
The calculation of the control prices for non-prescription drugs is done in accordance with the “Control Order on the Prices of Commodities and Services (Application of the Law to Preparations) 2001” which states that the level of supervision applicable to non-prescription preparations that are not preparations for general marketing is a request for a price increase according to Chapter VI to the law. That is, in light of the greater competitiveness in the over-the-counter drug market, the price of these drugs is determined once and does not change from year to year, but only if an initiative request is made to increase the price of the inspection.
| maximum price | number of preparations | Change from last year’s price |
| up to 100 NIS | 523 | 7.47%- |
| From 100 to 1,000 NIS | 505 | 7.98%- |
| From 1,000 to 5,000 NIS | 328 | 9.58%- |
| From 5,000 to 10,000 NIS | 114 | 9.97%- |
| Over NIS 10,000 | 143 | 9.24%- |
| Total | 1,613 | 7.47%- |
Haim Huppert, Deputy Director of Planning, Budgeting and Pricing at the Ministry of Health: “The drug market in Israel is dynamic, high-quality and diverse, as many innovative drugs have entered the State of Israel in recent years. Since medicines are a basic and essential product, medicine prices are under the supervision of the Ministry of Health. Since the entry into force of the new quotation mechanism in 2018, the prices of controlled prescription drugs have decreased by approximately 25%. The decrease in drug prices is done while balancing the price and the ministry’s commitment to maintain the dynamism and innovation in this market. The current drop in prices is expected to also lead to a decrease in the deductibles paid by health insurance policyholders for drugs.”
Prof. Nachman Ash, Director General of the Ministry of Health: “The supervision of drug prices is an important tool in curbing the rise in drug prices, which leads to a drop in prices. This is the way to make a wide range of medicines accessible to the entire population, which allows more medicines to be introduced into the state health care basket and to lower the co-payments which are derived from the list price. We are working to continue the trend of reducing self-participation in other axes as well.”