The European Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association is now Medicines for Europe Better access. Better health. Generic medicines are now the cornerstone of European healthcare, the Biosimilar medicines sector is developing rapidly, and the need and opportunity for Value Added medicines will further transform healthcare. Our industries supply the majority of Europe’s prescription medicines which is estimated to grow from the current 56% to 75% in volume over the next 5 years, as the demand for access to high quality medicines for European patients has never been greater. The repositioning of our association as Medicines for Europe aims to drive greater healthcare efficiency through better health outcomes while providing solutions for the sustainability of European healthcare systems facing increased demographic demands on healthcare services.
“Medicines for Europe Better access. Better health reflects our industries’ purpose and strategic objectives,” said Medicines for Europe President Jacek Glinka. “As an organisation we have been through an incredible journey responding to the changes that have taken place in the pharmaceutical industry and European healthcare environment. I invite stakeholders and policy-makers to engage with us to deliver access to high quality medicines for all European patients.”
Adrian van den Hoven, Medicines for Europe Director General, added: “Medicines for Europe is a great opportunity to build on the EGA’s established reputation for partnership with stakeholders and authorities to deliver access to high quality medicines for patients, its commitment to the highest levels of quality, and to bringing even more value to pharmaceuticals while bridging the sustainability of healthcare with a competitive pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.”
After a long dry spell, the pharmaceutical research industry has brought to market a spate of innovative treatments that can extend life and often have fewer side effects than older treatments. But these medicines are not affordable to most of the people who need them. Recent treatments for hepatitis C and cancer – both widespread conditions globally – can cost from $50,000 annually to well over $150,000.
Brussels – The European Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association (EGA) announced today the launch of the European Value Added medicines (EVA) group, a new sector group of the EGA.
“EVA will be the leading voice of a broad-multi-stakeholder coalition supporting value-added medicines in Europe, engaging with patients and healthcare professionals in response to their needs and with payers to increase access to high quality and sustainable innovation for patients across Europe and worldwide,” said Adrian van den Hoven, EGA Director General.
Value-added medicines are medicines based on known molecules which deliver significant improvements for patients, payers and/or health care professionals. For example, the added value may be created thanks to better health outcomes, better quality of life, improved tolerability, better adherence, less dosing frequency, reduction of medical errors or any other innovative solution addressing unmet needs for key stakeholders.
The new European Added Value medicines group will be a partner for healthcare systems to improve the efficiency of healthcare and access to sustainable pharmaceutical innovation in Europe. This group will be open to EGA and to non-EGA members active in this field.
About the EGA (European Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association)
The EGA represents the European generic, biosimilar and value-added medicines industries, which provide high-quality cost-competitive medicines to millions of European patients. Companies represented within the EGA provide over 160,000 skilled, high value direct jobs in Europe. Generic medicines save EU patients and healthcare systems over €40 billion each year and account for 55% of all dispensed medicines but for only 21% of the pharmaceutical expenditure in Europe. The European generic, biosimilar and value-added medicines industries’ vision is to provide sustainable access to high quality medicines for all European patients, based on 5 important pillars: patients, quality, value, sustainability and partnership. For more information please follow EGA at www.egagenerics.com and on Twitter @egagenerics and @ebgbiosimilars.