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Parallel Imports and Mandatory Substitution Reform: A kick or a muff for price competition in pharmaceuticals

Author

Listed:
  • Granlund, David

    (The Swedish Retail Institute and Umeå University)

  • Yesim Köksal, Miyase

    (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University)

Abstract

What has been the effect of competition from parallel imports on prices of locally-sourced onpatent drugs? Did the 2002 Swedish mandatory substitution reform increase this competition? To answer these questions, we carried out difference-in-differences estimation on monthly data for a panel of all on-patent prescription drugs sold in Sweden during the 40 months from January 2001 through April 2004. On average, facing competition from parallel imports caused a 15-17% fall in price. While the reform increased the effect of competition from parallel imports, it was only by 0.9%. The reform, however, did increase the effect of therapeutic competition by 1.6%.

Suggested Citation

  • Granlund, David & Yesim Köksal, Miyase, 2011. "Parallel Imports and Mandatory Substitution Reform: A kick or a muff for price competition in pharmaceuticals," Working Papers in Economics 496, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0496
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2077/25497
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Brekke, Kurt R. & Holmås, Tor Helge & Straume, Odd Rune, 2015. "Price regulation and parallel imports of pharmaceuticals," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 92-105.
    2. Kaiser, Ulrich & Mendez, Susan J. & Rønde, Thomas & Ullrich, Hannes, 2014. "Regulation of pharmaceutical prices: Evidence from a reference price reform in Denmark," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 174-187.
    3. Granlund, David & Yesim Köksal, Miyase, 2012. "EU Enlargement, Parallel Trade and Price Competition in Pharmaceuticals - What’s to Blame? Derogation or Perception?," HUI Working Papers 59, HUI Research.
    4. Granlund, David & Yesim Köksal, Miyase, 2011. "EU Enlargement, Parallel Trade and Price Competition in Pharmaceuticals - What’s to Blame? Derogation or Perception?," Umeå Economic Studies 831, Umeå University, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    parallel imports; pharmaceutical drugs; price competition; reference pricing; therapeutic competition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • L65 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Chemicals; Rubber; Drugs; Biotechnology; Plastics

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