Spain establishes "voluntary" centralised medtech purchasing
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
This week's passage in Spain of law 8/2010 on the reduction of the public deficit will see the creation of a national centralised healthcare products purchasing system. The move had been agreed unanimously by the inter-territorial council of the national health system (of central and regional governments) on 18 March 2010. Adoption of the system on the part of the regional authorities is voluntary, said the health ministry in a statement. However, the health ministry described the decision to centralise purchasing as "one of the most important taken [during the 18 March meeting] for making the national health system more efficient and sustainable".