On the occasion of the meeting on 29 June 2016, of the MEP Interest Group on Access to Healthcare - Better Access, Better Outcomes - Shared Vision, Shared Responsibility

PACT industry stakeholders would like to contribute to identifying policy responses at EU level that improve patients’ access to medicines and close the current gap in health inequalities reflecting on current EU-level debates.

PACT industry stakeholders wish to make three recommendations to the rapporteur of the European Parliament’s upcoming own-initiative report on "EU options for improving access to medicines":

1. We recommend embracing the health technology sector as a whole: Discussions on access to healthcare implies both innovation and access to medicines as well as innovation and access to medical technology and the off-patent sector (reference to Dutch conclusions). We see the need to work on solutions throughout our sectors, such as horizon scanning and access to medicines and medical technologies with an aim of delivering sustainable healthcare and promoting health outcomes. We have a shared sense of urgency for leveraging the contribution of the represented sectors. This will help in ensuring access to medicines and medical technologies as well as the future funding models that will accelerate access.
2. In line with the recently adopted Council Conclusions by the Dutch Presidency we wish to emphasize ‘the importance of a continuing open and constructive multi-stakeholder dialogue’ when discussing about access to healthcare. Given the current challenges we cannot afford to have fragmented visions as stakeholders. Instead, we need to look for joint solutions that include patients, payers, and other stakeholders. Similarly, PACT stakeholders would welcome continuity and implementing measures with past initiatives that provided the building blocks of collaboration, such as the Bulgaria Conference, the 2013 Vilnius Conference, and the 2015 Riga Roadmap.
3. We recommend that the ENVI own initiative report on access really tries to bridge the discussions at EU and national level. Healthcare systems are shaped at national level and differ significantly with. each Member State having its own distinct, highly-developed system that reflects its own domestic context and priorities. This in order to support a shift from cost-focus to health outcome-focus to prevent disease and avoidable health deterioration whilst tackling healthcare inefficiencies and addressing health inequalities as stated in the Riga Roadmap, Investing in Health and Wellbeing for All’. The ultimate tool for lowering healthcare expenditure depends on joint effort, action and understanding: moving from a transactions-oriented to an outcome-oriented approach.

In conclusion, we need systems that focus on improving patients’ health in a holistic and evidence-based way and that systematically redirect resources towards interventions that deliver the best outcomes. Government budget predictability and sustainability is essential. This demands a balanced use of all advantages that the healthcare sector can offer, innovative medicines, generic and biosimilar medicines and medical technologies. All of these can contribute to addressing the healthcare demands of the future. In the long term this should make healthcare more affordable and sustainable environment.

About the members of PACT Industry Stakeholders:

COCIR

COCIR is the European Trade Association representing the medical imaging, radiotherapy, health ICT and electromedical industries.  Founded in 1959, COCIR is a non-profit association headquartered in Brussels (Belgium) with a China Desk based in Beijing since 2007. COCIR is unique as it brings together the healthcare, IT and telecommunications industries. Our focus is to open markets for COCIR members in Europe and beyond. We provide a wide range of services on regulatory, technical, market intelligence, environmental, standardisation, international and legal affairs. COCIR is also a founding member of DITTA, the Global Diagnostic Imaging, Healthcare IT and Radiation Therapy Trade Association (www.globalditta.org ).More at www.cocir.org

EFPIA

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) represents the pharmaceutical industry operating in Europe. Through its direct membership of 33 national associations and 42 leading pharmaceutical companies, EFPIA is the voice in Brussels of 1,900 companies committed to researching, developing and bringing to patients new medicines that will improve health and the quality of life around the world. More at www.efpia.eu

Medicines for Europe

Medicines for Europe(formerly EGA) represents the generic, biosimilar and value added medicines industries across Europe. Its vision is to provide sustainable access to high quality medicines, based on 5 important pillars: patients, quality, value, sustainability and partnership.  Its members employ 160,000 people at over 350 manufacturing and R&D sites in Europe, and invest up to 17% of their turnover in medical innovation. Medicines for Europe member companies across Europe are both increasing access to medicines and driving improved health outcomes. They play a key role in creating sustainable European healthcare systems by continuing to provide high quality, effective generic medicines, whilst also innovating to create new biosimilar medicines and bringing to market value added medicines, which deliver better health outcomes, greater efficiency and/or improved safety in the hospital setting for patients. More at www.medicinesforeurope.com.

MedTech Europe

MedTech Europe is an alliance of European medical technology industry associations. The Alliance was founded by EDMA, representing the European in vitro diagnostic industry, and Eucomed, representing the European medical devices industry. Our mission is to make value-based, innovative medical technology available to more people while supporting the transformation of healthcare systems onto a sustainable path. We promote a balanced policy environment that enables the medical technology industry to meet the growing healthcare needs and expectations of its stakeholders. More at www.medtecheurope.org