Austria

The quality of healthcare in Austria is very high and it is considered one of the best in the world with a high number of doctors, even in remote areas. Austria has been criticised, however, for unfairly restricting access to its pharmaceutical market: a firm seeking to market a drug in Austria must first obtain approval from the Austrian Social Insurance Holding Organization (Hauptverband der Oesterreichischen Sozialversicherungstraeger). According to critics, the non-transparent procedures by which the Hauptverband approves drugs for reimbursement under Austrian health insurance regulations has perpetuated a closed market system favoring established suppliers.

Prior to EU accession in 1995, Austria maintain relatively high tariffs on medicines. These have since been abolished. However, it continues to levy a 10% VAT on medical goods.