The Italian federation of MD manufacturers decided to take action against some provisions of the Government spending review, whose impact on the sector is considered ruinous.
The measures include a 5% cut on the supply contracts and expenditures until December 31st 2012, the introduction of reference prices and an expenditure ceiling of 4.9% in 2013 and 4.8% in 2014. This would lead to a 2 billions reduction in the public expenditure but also to a 25% loss in the revenues.
The Medical Devices federation intends to file a complaint to the European Community and start an infringement procedure because reference prices violate the principle of renegotiation in public tenders after they have been won.
The federation is also working on a revision of the current reference prices and of those coming into force in 2013 and intends to organize working groups aiming at a better rationalization of resources and to avoid waste.
Finally, cuts to the same organization are expected, with a 5% decrease in the membership fees next year.
