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Alternative reimbursement models in Türkiye provide pathways for innovative medicines to gain coverage outside standard pricing rules, allowing the Social Security Institution (“SSI”) to negotiate terms such as discounts, budget caps, or other arrangements. These models, formalised under the 2016 Regulation on Alternative Reimbursement and updated in 2023, aim to improve patient access while managing healthcare expenditures.
The Regulation on Alternative Reimbursement published in February 2016 introduced complimentary provisions, offering companies and SSI the opportunity to negotiate the terms and conditions of alternative reimbursement models that would be applied to certain products. Through alternative reimbursement models, where pharmaceutical companies directly enter into contractual agreements with the SSI, the discount rates and payment terms are not disclosed to the public and are kept confidential. These models are not limited to authorised medicinal products but may also be applied to certain named patient programs (“NPP”) products that are not yet licensed or commercially available in Türkiye, provided that they have been authorised by major regulatory authorities abroad.
In parallel, Turkish authorities are strengthening the evidence base underpinning reimbursement and regulatory decision-making in terms of NPP products. In January 2026, the Agency announced an initiative to systematically generate, analyse, and publish real-world clinical data and pharmacoeconomic evaluations for medicines supplied under the NPP framework. The program targets implementation by January 2027.
The initiative aims to (i) monitor clinical effectiveness and safety in real-world patient populations, (ii) assess budget impact and value for money using scientific pharmacoeconomic methodologies, and (iii) support strategic decision-making for future licensing and reimbursement policies. Data collection and analysis will be conducted in line with international standards, patient privacy, and ethical principles, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and academic bodies, with results to be shared publicly on a periodic basis.
Looking ahead, the systematic use of real-world evidence and pharmacoeconomic analyses is expected to reinforce value-based reimbursement approaches, particularly for products accessed through alternative reimbursement and NPP mechanisms. Companies should anticipate increasing expectations for post-access evidence generation to support ongoing reimbursement negotiations and policy decisions, signalling Türkiye’s continued shift toward a more data-driven, transparent, and sustainable market access environment.
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