The legal framework for the participation in the payment to be met by the citizens for the pharmaceutical provision included in the supplementary common portfolio of the National Health System is found in Law 29/2006, 26 of July, guarantees and rational use of medicines and medical devices.

The Royal Decree-Law 16/2012 of 20 April, of urgent measures to guarantee the sustainability of the National Health System and improve the quality and safety of its benefits, introduces a new article 94. (a) in Law 29/2006, on the contribution of beneficiaries to the outpatient pharmaceutical provision.

For medicinal products belonging to the reduced-contribution ATC groups, a contribution of 10% of the PVP to them corresponds to a maximum of 2012, expressed in euro, resulting from the update of the IPC to the maximum amount in force. The update will be formalised by resolution of the pharmacy responsible for the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality.

At present, the maximum amount of the participation in the payment to be met by the citizens for the medicines of reduced contribution is fixed at 2.64 euros, in accordance with the provisions of the Order of the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs of 18 October 1995 updating the maximum amount of the contribution of beneficiaries of social security in the supply of proprietary medicinal products classified as therapeutic groups or sub-groups included in Annex II to Royal Decree 83/1993.

By this order, the amount was updated according to the CPI produced up to July 1995.

By this resolution, the maximum contribution applicable in 2012 for medicinal products belonging to the reduced-contribution ATC groups is to be updated, in accordance with the increase in the CPI in the period from August 1995 to March 2012.

By virtue of the provisions of Royal Decree-Law 16/2012, by this resolution we proceed to:

First.

Set the maximum contribution for medicines belonging to the reduced-contribution ATC groups by EUR 4.13.

This maximum contribution shall also apply to the medical devices included in the pharmaceutical supply belonging to the reduced-contribution groups.

It will also apply to the participation in the payment to be paid by the AIDS patients, of the drugs financed by the National Health System dispensed through official prescription.

Second.

The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall begin to have effect from 1 July 2012.

Madrid, May 31, 2012. -Director General of the Basic Portfolio of Services of the National System of Health and Pharmacy, Maria del Sagrario Pérez Castellanos.