Novi trošak za pročišćavanje voda mogao bi poskupiti lijekove za milijune pacijenata

Jutarnji listIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 754 hr. ago

The European Parliament has called on the European Commission to re-examine the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, which requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to pay for the costs of removing drug residues from wastewater. This directive, aimed at improving water purification, could lead to increased medication costs for millions of patients across Europe. The concern stems from potential negative impacts on the availability and affordability of medicines, particularly generic drugs, which are crucial for many treatments. At a recent meeting of EU health ministers, 13 member states, including Croatia, supported Germany’s initiative to ensure the directive does not threaten medicine supply or pharmaceutical production resilience in the EU. Generics account for around 70% of all therapies but make up less than 20% of healthcare spending, raising fears that implementing the directive in its current form might jeopardize the production and availability of numerous treatments. Industry estimates suggest additional annual costs of between €5 billion and €11 billion for the pharmaceutical sector.

Bias read (Center): The article presents concerns raised by pharmaceutical producers and highlights the European Parliament's call for re-evaluation of the directive. It includes perspectives from industry representatives and mentions support from multiple EU countries, providing balanced coverage without overtly favor

Why these scores (Factual 85 · Objective 75): The article accurately reports the European Parliament's call for review of the EPR model and mentions the concerns raised by 13 member states including Croatia. It provides context about the potential impact on generic drug production and availability. However, the article leans slightly towards hi