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South Africa: Hospital group exec wants healthcare probe to include pharma cos

By  |  May 20, 2013

The executive of a private health group has expressed disappointment that a planned inquiry into South Africa’s private healthcare market by the Competition Commission will not also umbrella the pharmaceutical sector. Netcare CEO Richard Friedland offered the remarks on Monday, noting that consumers pay “40 percent more” for drugs in South Africa. The Commission’s planned review of the healthcare market will bring private hospitals and medical schemes under a close watch but appears to let the pharmaceutical sector off the hook under the argument that pharmaceutical prices are already regulated. Further, Friedland said the allowance of parallel imports of drugs could help lower costs for consumers. Netcare is currently the nation’s third-largest private hospital group.

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