Poland Ministry of Health announces new drug reimbursement list

Poland’s Ministry of Health has announced a new list of reimbursed drugs effective October 1, 2026, which includes 24 new therapies. These consist of 13 oncological and 11 non-oncological treatments, including eight for rare diseases such as cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and von Hippel-Lindau syndrome.

Deputy Health Minister Katarzyna Kacperczyk stated that new negotiation instruments implemented by the Ministry have already resulted in 400 million PLN, which will be redirected to fund additional therapies. While some specific medications like Eliquis, Ultibro Breezhaler, Januvia, and Janumet may no longer be included in the free “65 plus” list for seniors, the Ministry clarified that these drugs have cheaper equivalents available on the reimbursement list.

Kacperczyk emphasized that the new mechanism focuses on price optimization through competition and negotiation rather than removing medications. She denied reports that 1,500 drugs were being removed from senior lists, asserting that the goal is to use savings from negotiated prices—such as those achieved for Ozempic and Xarelto—to expand treatment options.