Institute within the scope of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG)
Institute within the scope of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG)
DIMDI publishes the annually updated official version of the
German ATC-classification with defined daily doses according to
§ 73 Section 8 of the Fifth Book of the Social
Security Statutes (SGB V) since January 1st, 2004.
According to the legal regulation
[§ 73 Section 8 of the Fifth Book of the Social
Security Statutes (SGB V)], the ATC-Classification with
defined daily doses has to be adapted to the specifics of the
maintenance situation in Germany. This
adaption has to take place on the basis of an appropriate,
transparent and rule-bound procedure for the classification of
active substances which is converted properly and regarding to the
purpose of the classification at a maintainable effort.
The "Gemeinsame Bundesausschuss" (Federal Joint Committee) has to incorporate information about medicinal products and adjuvant substances in its guidelines (according to § 92 section 1, phrase 2, no. 6 SGB V) which enables the CHI (compulsory health insurance) physician to compare prices between different medicinal products according to their section of indication and groups of active substance (according to § 92 section 2 SGB V). The costs of the medicinal products per daily dose are to be indicated according to the specifications of the ATC-classification (§ 73 section 8 SGB V).
The utilisation of the ATC-Classification with defined daily doses serves as an easing of comparisons between drugs and guarantees a standardised reference for the specification of daily treatment expenses. The specifications of the defined daily doses thereby act as an auxiliary value. They do not necessarily need to reflect the recommended approved or the individually applied dosage of a medicinal product. This also applies to the daily therapy costs calculated on this basis, which represent only a rough auxiliary value as well.