Band H drugs

Definition and Dispensation

Group H drugs are those drugs whose use - with the exception of special cases - must be limited to the hospital or similar structures.

However, in some cases, certain group H drugs used in the treatment of serious and / or rare pathologies, can be dispensed from the hospital pharmacy or the competent ASL, to be used in an extra-hospital setting, according to the provisions of the Regions and Provinces. Autonomous.
The current classification of medicines - carried out on the basis of the supply and reimbursement regime - identifies in band H drugs the set of all those drugs whose cost is borne by the National Health System (SSN), provided that they are used exclusively in hospital or in similar structures.
Therefore, as a rule, these drugs could not be sold in simple pharmacies open to the public, except in particular cases defined by current legislation.
To be more precise, group H drugs can be divided into the following groups:

• Group H drugs classified as PSO: according to Legislative Decree 219/06, art. 92, are classified as OSP all those drugs "usable only and exclusively in hospitals which, due to their pharmacological characteristics, innovativeness, methods of administration or other reasons for the protection of public health, cannot be used in conditions of sufficient safety at the outside hospitals ".
• Class H drugs classified as RR (ie dispensable with a repeatable medical prescription), RNR (ie dispensable with a non-repeatable medical prescription), RRL and RNRL (ie dispensable with a restrictive medical prescription, respectively, repeatable and non-repeatable. medicine in question can only be prescribed by hospitals or specialists), RMS (i.e. dispensable with a special medical prescription), or as USPL (i.e., medicines subject to restrictive medical prescription that can only be used by identified specialists, according to the provisions of the Regions or Autonomous Provinces).

Summarizing, on the basis of this last classification, the drugs of group H not classified as PSO by Legislative Decree 219/06, art. 92, can be dispensed - for a fee and without reimbursement by the NHS - within the open territorial pharmacies to the public, of course, upon presentation of the appropriate medical prescription required by current legislation.

What are the H-tier drugs?

Medicines belonging to the class of H group drugs are numerous and constantly evolving.
All group H drugs are listed - in alphabetical order by active ingredient or by commercial name - in special tables drawn up by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA); click here to view them.
These tables are constantly updated and show various data regarding each drug, such as the active ingredient contained therein, the dosage, the retail price and the Marketing Authorization number (AIC).