TLV Suggests Access to National Health Data Registers Could Help Enable Follow-up Care

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – The Swedish Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (TLV) has suggested to the Swedish government that the key to developing follow-up of medicines and medical devices lies in access to national health data registers.

The agency currently does not have access to national health registries but believes that different data sources could be used to develop the authority’s opportunities for follow-up.

The access would be particularly relevant in the area of innovative therapies, which are typically more expensive than standard therapies. TLV noted that innovative medicines “challenge” the reimbursement system, but “Through improved opportunities to follow up treatment effects in everyday clinical practice, TLV’s opportunities to subsidize these drugs increase.”

It would enable the agency to get these types of drugs to patients who need them at a faster rate.

Pontus Johansson, head of department at TLV explained: “If we can find ways to use the existing knowledge via the national service platform, we would have greater opportunities for follow-up in Sweden. The most feasible way at present, however, is to continue to develop the national health data registers that are available at the National Board of Health and Welfare.”

In the short term, however, TLV also suggests in its report to the government that the regions should increase their reporting to the patient register on medicines given to patients in hospitals.

Following the report, TLV has now initiated an ongoing collaboration between authorities within the Council for Governance with knowledge of health data issues. The group also confirmed that it sees the need for increased collaboration with and between regions and with private companies.

The Swedish National Audit Office also recently published a report on the Government and TLV’s work regarding subsidies for medicines.

The report underlines a number of challenges with the current system and contains several proposals to contribute to “strengthening TLV’s work.”

The review highlights that the model Sweden uses for reimbursement decisions make it difficult for TLV to include certain new drugs in the benefits, particularly for medicines for severe and unusual diseases that need continuous treatment.

As such, the Audit Office has recommended that the government should initiate discussions with the pharmaceutical industry and the regions in order to develop alternative price models and initiatives where price reductions on older drugs could leave room for subsidies for newer and more expensive drugs.