• Industry leaders from the generic, biosimilar and value added medicines industries will engage in an intense dialogue in Dubrovnik over the next two days to improve worldwide patient access to pharmaceuticals.
  • Medicines for Europe and the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) plan to intensify partnerships with the healthcare community and policy makers to ensure better access and better health for all patients around the world.
  • Solutions to global challenges such as stimulating pharmaceutical market competition, trade and regulatory cooperation for better access, sustainable business models and improving the efficiency of healthcare systems will be discussed during the conference.

During the next two days, the key pharmaceutical industry leaders from the generic, biosimilar and value added medicines industries will meet in Dubrovnik to foster international partnership, cooperation and dialogue and discuss the most recent challenges of these industries for the future. With this year’s conference in Croatia, Medicines for Europe and the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) celebrate their first joint event.

Amongst the key topics that will be tackled during the conference are the most important global challenges that the generic, biosimilar and value added medicines industries are facing today, such as the need to stimulate more competition in pharmaceutical markets, the trade and regulatory cooperation for better access, sustainable business models, improving the efficiency of healthcare systems and the stronger representation of the generic, biosimilar and value added industries in global fora regulating the pharmaceutical industry.

Jacek Glinka, Medicines for Europe President commented: “The impact of high cost new medicines on healthcare system sustainability is a concern for many healthcare policy-makers and advocacy groups. However, our industry is committed to delivering solutions that improve patient access to high quality medicines. We see this as an opportunity for our industry to provide leadership in the pharmaceutical market through an accessible innovation policy”.

Vivian Frittelli, IGBA Chair highlighted that “The majority of the world’s medicines in use today are generic medicines, while biosimilar medicines offer opportunities to treat millions more patients with biologic medicines and value added medicines are bringing sustainable innovation to all patients across the world”.

About IGBA

The International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA) was founded as IGPA (International Generic Pharmaceutical Alliance) in March 1997 to strengthen cooperation between associations representing manufacturers of generic medicines. Its membership includes Medicines for Europe (Europe), the CGPA (Canada), the GPhA (USA), the JAPM (Jordan), the NAPM (South Africa), the TGPA (Taiwan) and the JGA (Japan) while the associations from Australia (GBMA), Brazil (ProGenericos) and Mexico (AMEGI) are Associate Members. The IGBA is at the forefront of stimulating competitiveness and innovation in the pharmaceutical sector by providing high quality pro-competitive medicines to millions of patients around the world. Through its constituent member associations, the IGBA maintains constant dialogue with government authorities (including the European Commission for Europe) as well as with international institutions such as WTO, WIPO and WHO. More information: www.igbamedicines.org