Poland's NFZ funds nearly half of prescription drug market

Poland's Central Health Fund (NFZ) paid 15.3 billion zł for prescription drugs in 2025, representing 45.9% of the total Rx market, which GUS estimated at 33.4 billion zł. Public financing grew faster than patient out‑of‑pocket spending, with the share of reimbursed drugs rising from 39.3% in 2022 to almost 46% in 2025. The number of prescriptions stayed flat at around 515 million, while the value of sales rose 13.1% year‑on‑year. Electronic prescriptions now account for 97.8% of all dispensed prescriptions.

The Ministry of Health is reviewing the senior‑free‑drug programme (reimbursement category S). The programme cost 3.7 billion zł in 2025, serving 7.2 million people, and its expenses have risen sharply in recent years. NFZ proposes three possible cut scenarios for the S list that could save between 0.5 billion zł and 1.8 billion zł, while ensuring drug availability through price‑competition mechanisms.

Both measures highlight a shift toward greater public funding of medicines and potential reforms to control rising pharmaceutical costs in Poland.