Germany plans to extend price brake for drugs under statutory insurance

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany wants to extend a price brake for drugs covered by statutory health insurance for five years beyond 2017, stretching out the measure introduced in 2009, a draft law seen by Reuters shows. The health ministry estimates savings from the extension will amount to between 1.5 and 2.0 billion euros ($1.65-2.19 billion), ministry sources said. Under the draft law, the government in Germany, Europe's biggest market for medicines, also wants to lower prices of newly launched drugs within the first 12 months if sales are greater than 250 million euros. (Reporting by Thorsten Severin; Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Caroline Copley)