Healthcare System Reforms
In July 2025, Türkiye introduced Law No. 7557, bringing wide-ranging updates to the healthcare system. These reforms aim to modernise services, improve efficiency, and strengthen oversight, responding to growing healthcare demands and technological developments.
For the life sciences sector, several provisions are particularly relevant:
- Physicians and dentists are now limited to practicing in a maximum of two healthcare institutions, marking a shift toward tighter workforce oversight. Physicians working under previous permits must apply for new authorisation by 1 June 2026, or their permits will be automatically revoked. While aimed at standardisation, the restriction has raised concerns about access to care in underserved regions.
- A complete advertising ban has been introduced for private healthcare institutions, allowing only limited informational content. Violations will trigger substantial administrative fines, prompting concerns about proportionality and the impact on smaller providers.
- Pharmaceutical regulation has been significantly strengthened by embedding the Pharmaceutical Tracking System (“İTS”) into primary legislation and extending it to include specialised medical nutritional products.
- Electronic informed consent is now authorised, allowing patients to provide consent digitally. While this is more relevant to clinical operations, companies involved in digital health tools or connected devices may need to adjust processes to support compliance and usability.
The reforms do not directly change pricing rules but highlight ongoing challenges with drug supply, reimbursement, and currency-linked pricing distortions. Overall, these amendments formalise many existing practices and introduces stricter regulatory expectations. The key takeaway is that compliance, traceability, and supply chain integrity are becoming increasingly critical, while digital health integration and adherence to reporting requirements will be essential for operating successfully in Türkiye’s evolving healthcare environment.