Abstract

Summary

The Supreme Administrative Court judgement which is glossed in this article concerns reimbursement due to a patient for medications not normally available in Poland on a reimbursed prescription but admitted in special cases as an individual (targeted) import on the grounds of a central permit. In this judgement the Court ruled that contrary to the literal interpretation of Art. 39 of the Reimbursement for Medications, Special-Purpose Foodstuffs, and Medical Products of 12 May 2011 (Ustawa z dnia 12 maja 2011 r. o refundacji leków, środków spożywczych specjalnego przeznaczenia żywieniowego oraz wyrobów medycznych; Dziennik Ustaw 2016, Item 1536), patients who have a central permit admitting a medication they are taking for individual (targeted) import can claim a reimbursement for their expenses incurred due to the import of the medication. I fully agree with this ruling, especially as it takes a pro-constitutional approach to the interpretation of the provisions on reimbursed medications.