Keeping the conversation going on data sharing commitments

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Keeping the conversation going on data sharing commitments

02.08.13

I have spent much time over the past week speaking with journalists, fellow industry professionals, and other interested parties about the EFPIA-PhRMA joint commitments to data sharing announced last week. We have, as expected, received some criticism – some say we aren’t doing enough, others say our commitment is coming too late, and still others question our commitment to transparency entirely. But, overall I find most people saying that the proposal is solid. There are a lot of concerns about putting everything in the “cloud”. The crucial question is whether people trust the industry to deliver. In the face of criticism, I have been asked if I have any regrets or would have done anything differently. The short answer? Not really. I am happy with the Principles and absolutely believe they are a step in the right direction. My only regret? That we couldn’t have them implemented sooner.

EFPIA represents a broad range of companies (as does PhRMA) and implementing any single piece of governance for all companies to abide by takes time. When the topic is as important as data sharing, it takes even longer. And I will be the first to admit that my industry can be a conservative one, where change can be difficult to implement. True, some EFPIA companies will have (or already do have) policies that go further than others. But the Principles are essential in establishing a common baseline from which we can build towards greater transparency across the industry – a transparency that, as I noted last week, we believe to be one that best serves patients. I do not think the value of this should be brushed aside.

Clinical data sharing will without a doubt remain a topic of high interest in the coming months. We will continue to communicate on the issue and to voice our concerns – as we plan to do in our response to the EMA transparency proposal, open to consultation until the end of September. And I welcome the opportunity to hear others’ concerns. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and I believe in constructive dialogue as a means of paving the way forward. So let’s keep the conversation going.

Richard Bergström was appointed as Director General of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and...