EU G10 medicines group urges equality of access

Equality of access to new, more effective medicines among all EU citizens will be improved by creating a more favourable environment for product introduction, according to a group of top decision makers, the G10 medicines group. Currently the time between the first patient in the first member state having access to an innovative medicine, and the first patient in the last member state enjoying the same access is four years. Once a new medicine is available for prescribing, uptake and use is also slow, largely due to different procedures for price setting in different countries, according to the G10 group.

Professor Bengt-Joennson, of the centre for health economics, Sweden, said: 'Price control for prescription medicines has a number of well-documented negative effects and few, if any, positive outcomes. The price of new medicines is not the main driver in increases in healthcare expenditure.'

'Prices in the European market do not reward innovation and unfortunately Europeans pay more than they need to for older medicines after patent expiry,' stated G10 member Chris Viehbacher, president of GSK Pharmaceuticals Europe. 'Payers could maintain cost control by paying a price which encourages r&d while encouraging more price competition and self-medication for older products.'

The G10 medicines group has also debated a series of key issues aimed at accelerating the current licensing system for new medicines. Approval of medicines through the centralised EU procedure is currently taking significantly longer than it does in the US. This, the group believes, is largely due to unnecessary bureaucratic delays, such as protracted decision making and the provision of translations.

A top priority for the EMEA is to strengthen and improve the pharmacovigilance system. Thomas Loenngren, executive director, EMEA, requested the industry to consider the possibility of joint funding of specific projects to improve the operation of the regulatory procedure in the EU. Although market fragmentation contributes to the regulatory environment in Europe, licensing regulation needs to be improved to ensure it does not impede competitiveness, innovation and rapid access to markets.