The consumption of healthcare products in our country, according to a report published by the FEFE Medicines Observatory, in a report on healthcare spending In Spain, as of October 2016, this accounts for just 1.8% of prescriptions and 4.8% of healthcare expenditure. Furthermore, they specify that the most widely used group of healthcare products in our country has been urinary incontinence pads.
How was the data on the consumption of medical devices collected?
The figures published in this report have been obtained through an analysis of the data submitted by the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality on 20 November. And, assuming that the Medicines Observatory has efficiently extracted and analysed the Ministry’s data, this provides a perfectly valid estimate of the actual situation regarding the consumption of medical devices in Spain.
Further information about the observatory
The Medicines Observatory was established 10 years ago and is a body under the umbrella of the Spanish Pharmacists“ Business Federation (FEFE). It defines itself as a ”unique source of information and an indispensable reference point for professionals, healthcare organisations and the media“. And it is so, both because of the data it publishes on pharmaceutical expenditure in Spain and because of its capacity for ”reflection and analysis” regarding this data.
Conclusions
At the Pharmaceutical Technical Office, we believe that these figures on the consumption of healthcare products in the public sector are low. This confirms that the consumption of healthcare products tends to take place predominantly in the private sector, or is self-funded. Furthermore, we would like to commend this work of reflection and analysis of public data. We believe that, thanks to independent and critically-minded organisations such as the Observatory, we are able to access important data that would otherwise not come to light. Keep up the good work!