for example in australia separate funding became available for herceptin and a similar arrangement is available in france in germany cancer drugs are paid on a drg basis or through specific additional payments zusatzentgelte in the netherlands the pharmacy units in hospitals were previously responsible for pharmaceutical purchases and hospitals with a pharmacy unit that managed to purchase innovative drugs at lower prices were able to use these drugs more than other hospitals leading to crosshospital variations in the availability of expensive pharmaceuticals but due to pressure from patient groups in the ministry of health became responsible for of the costs related to the purchase of expensive pharmaceuticals to insurance companies with the rest paid by the hospitals and pharmacy