Forum assesses competitiveness of Europe's pharmaceutical industry
Europe's Pharmaceutical Forum has concluded its three-year process
and, on 2 October, put forward several recommendations addressing the
many challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry, public health
interests and national healthcare systems.
The high-level forum was co-chaired by Vice President of the European
Commission Günter Verheugen and Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, and
welcomed health ministers of Member States, MEPs, the Secretary General
of the European Free Trade Association and representatives of 10
stakeholder organisations.
The Pharmaceutical Forum's initial mandate, set out in 2005, was 'to
discuss the competitiveness of the European pharmaceutical industry and
related public health considerations, with a specific focus on
information to patients on disease and treatment options, relative
effectiveness assessments and pricing and reimbursement of medicinal
products'.
The Forum's final report addressed specific issues in three major
areas: improving access to information on diseases and treatments,
identifying (and providing fair access to) the most effective medicines
and balancing such access with reward for innovation within the limits
of healthcare budgets.
The report stressed the need to provide citizens with more information
in effective communication formats (electronic and non-electronic
means), 'taking account of local traditions, healthcare systems and
languages'. While acknowledging that doctors are the most appropriate
people to provide information to their patients, the Forum recommended
that 'Member States, the Commission and health actors [...] consider
new collaborations in the field of information to patients. Such
collaborations should respect transparency, disclosure of financial and
other support as well as definition of responsibilities.'
The Forum's report addressed the need to improve information flow, in
terms of both patient access to information and data sharing in
research and development. Specifically, it spoke of the need to improve
data availability and transferability. The report encouraged Member
States and stakeholders to regularly exchange information in order to
consolidate scientific evidence at national level, to provide this
evidence to pricing and reimbursement authorities, and to inform
healthcare professionals and patients on the most effective
drugs.
The exchange of effectiveness data should, according to the report,
'aim to identify any barriers, whether scientific, technical or legal,
that prevent all the parties involved from circulating the information
easily'. It adds that: 'national authorities and companies should also
consider ways of having early dialogue during product development to
improve the generation of appropriate data as far as possible.'
Member States were called upon to agree on a clear set of expectations
on innovations they consider to be valuable. Communication of these
common expectations 'will give companies a clear direction on
healthcare priorities and indications on the evidence needed by
authorities, while bringing authorities clarity on the mid- to
long-term budget needs,' according to the report. Companies were urged
to 'deliver the innovative medicines that society needs' and to
cooperate with patient organisations.
Member State authorities, stakeholders and the Commission were
encouraged to 'strengthen their efforts to ensure access to orphan
medicines in all EU Member States,' and to pursue early dialogue on
research and development, improve exchange of 'knowledge on the
scientific assessment of the clinical added value', establish specific
pricing and reimbursement mechanisms and increase awareness of orphan
diseases.
The report concluded that: 'Member States and the Commission, in
cooperation with relevant stakeholders, should within the next two
years undertake a first review of progress following the
recommendations from the Pharmaceutical Forum in the field of pricing
and reimbursement [...].Further cooperation and exchange of experiences
at EU level is needed.'
Vice President Verheugen said, 'The Forum's recommendations can lead to
important savings and permit a better reward for pharmaceutical
innovation. I call upon industry and national authorities to help
implementing these recommendations to the benefit of the patients and
healthcare budget.'
Source: Community R&D Information Service (CORDIS)
