Impact of a national tender system on biologic and targeted drug costs in Norway

(European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology) Biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) have caused a shift in the treatment of patients with inflammatory joint disorders, and remission is now attainable. But the high cost of these drugs has caused restrictions on their use and prescription, contributing to inequality of care worldwide. An annual tender system was introduced in 2008 in Norway to reduce the costs of these drugs.