The NKU report is for the controlled period from 2020 to 2024. Health Minister Kamil Šaško, who took office in the autumn of 2024, did not wait for the results of the check and immediately introduced a number of systemic changes and measures in the field of drug policy, with emphasis on transparency, predictability and availability of modern treatment for patients. As a result of the pro-active work of the Minister for Health, the legislation currently being drafted is changing the status quo.
The Kamil Shaška Health Department has historically met for the first time - in 2025, the established health care budget. This despite the fact that spending on medicines and dietetic food increased by more than 430 million between 2019 and 2023. EUR.
Medicines have been categorised despite the absence of financial cover. The system, as well as the uneconomic and non-transparent way of classifying medicinal products applied between 2020 and 2023, has had a significant impact on the recent growth in structural expenditure on categorised medicinal products, which on average represents more than 148 million. EUR per year.
As a first step for improving the availability of medicines, the MZ SR defined a line of new classification in the budget (for 2026), which ensured that it was transparent and under new conditions, which could be implemented even without amending the law, started to be categorised.
At the same time, thanks to the significant optimisation of financial flows in all healthcare sectors, including under conditions of public finance consolidation, 35 new medicines were categorised in 39 indications, which represents a significant step towards improving the availability of innovative treatment for patients in Slovakia.
The resort is now finalising a new form of drug policy, built on the consensus of all relevant partners in the sector, which aims to set sustainable, transparent and fair rules for the benefit of the patient and in line with the conclusions of the NKU.