Access and affordability the key questions for European decision-makers; more patient focussed policies required

Andrew Witty, CEO of GlaxoSmithKline and President of EFPIA, the body representing the research-based pharmaceutical industry in Europe, called today for ‘a new dialogue’ between governments and the pharmaceutical industry in order to deliver patient access to better medicines and enhance Europe’s competitiveness as a base for R&D investment.

In his first speech as EFPIA President, Mr. Witty stressed the need to encourage development of innovative medicines and vaccines that address unmet medical needs and the importance of giving patients a ‘true and proper role’ in healthcare decision-making.

Speaking at the opening of the 2010 EFPIA General Meeting in London, Mr. Witty said: “Many countries in Europe are facing significant pressures in healthcare policy, which have been compounded by the financial crisis. We need a new dialogue between industry and governments to address the difficult questions facing us all, on access, on affordability and on innovation.”

Acknowledging increasing economic constraints in Europe, Mr. Witty stated that the industry understands that it must be a ‘genuine partner’ to governments and their agencies. “We understand the budgetary constraints impacting Governments, and recognise their increasing desire to identify value in order to make difficult funding decisions. Our task is to deliver medicines and vaccines that address unmet needs and we accept that these must offer demonstrable added value.”

Witty said that common, shared understanding of value was critical to the industry and governments. To achieve this he called for a better dialogue between industry and authorities, prior to and after marketing authorisation. “Let’s start looking at medicines expenditure as an investment. This will enable governments and industry to set a strategic agenda for health and pharmaceutical innovation. What matters is whether a medicine works, responds to patient needs and, if so, that it is rewarded.”

Witty also called for greater consideration of patients in decisions made around improving health and medicine provision, stating: “Patients must be at the heart of decision-making. Their needs should be central to decisions made on access, allocation of funding and assessments of value.”

Brian Ager, Director General of EFPIA, echoed Witty’s comments at the meeting and also stressed the need for closer working: “I want EFPIA to play a part in addressing the challenges faced by governments in balancing tight budgets against the need to ensure sustainable patient access to high quality healthcare and treatments. A key priority is to ensure that cost controls do not impact quality of care or act as a disincentive to innovation. The research-based pharmaceutical industry is a leading high technology industry in Europe, providing some 635,000 jobs and 17% of R&D investments.”

For more information:
http://www.efpia.org