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Dr. Sophie Herold

Dr. Sophie Herold is an associate in Covington’s Frankfurt office and a member of our Food, Drug and Device Practice. She advises clients on a broad range of regulatory and compliance matters.

Sophie counsels clients on all aspects of pharmaceutical and medical device regulation, clinical research, therapeutic product advertising, data protection and other regulatory issues over the entire product lifecycle. She also assists clients with legal, contractual and privacy issues that affect digital health products and services, including medical apps and AI-based devices.

Sophie's practice includes advisory work. She also represents clients before authorities and in court.

 

Germany’s hospital system is reported to be of high quality but is also very expensive by international standards. Hospitals and healthcare payers such as health insurances are exposed to increasing economic constraints. One particular point of criticism is, for example, the current system of Diagnosis Related Group (DRG)-based fees.

Patient treatments are compensated based on the DRGs which effectively leads to a lump-sum payment system per diagnosis (with certain exemptions). This system has pros and cons. As a downside, it is reported to create incentives for over-treatments to generate DRG-based fees per patient.

At the same time, many hospitals in Germany are at risk of closure and insolvency due to financial challenges. The German federal states have thus asked the federal government for financial support to finance the restructuring of the hospital system and prevent hospitals from bankruptcy.

Continue Reading Germany plans significant hospital reform with broad impact on life sciences companies

In an earlier blog, we noted that the German drug pricing and reimbursement laws are among the most complicated legal areas in the entire field of life sciences law. Now, these laws and the respective German market access rules are becoming more complicated. A new law will come into effect in the next few weeks.

Continue Reading Germany to enact new law with significant changes to drug pricing and reimbursement rules

On 14 February 2023, the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) has presented the new draft “Act to Combat Supply Shortages of Off-Patent Medicines and to Improve the Supply of Paediatric Medicines” (Arzneimittel-Lieferengpassbekämpfungs- und Versorgungsverbesserungsgesetz or ALBVVG”). Some commentators also refer to the new law as the “Generics Act” but

The German regulation of pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceuticals is probably one of the most complicated legal areas in the entire world of life sciences laws. Now, the German government is adding another layer of complexity to the existing rules.

On 20 October 2022, the German Parliament has accepted the draft Act for the Financial Stabilization of the German Statutory Health Insurance System („GKV-FinStG“). The new act was subject to month-long controversial discussions within and outside of the Parliament and affected stakeholders. This was due to the fact that the new rules will affect almost all players within the healthcare system, including the health insurers, doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and, especially, the pharmaceutical industry. The new law encompasses significant cost-containment measures as the German healthcare system faces increased costs while, at the same time, the system suffers from a reduced inflow of funds.

Continue Reading Germany significantly tightens Drug Pricing and Reimbursement Laws