EU Commissioner On IT, Patents and Data Protection

Taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the information revolution is of the utmost importance for the competitiveness of the European pharmaceutical industry, according to Martin Bangemann, European Commissioner for industrial affairs, information and telecommunication technologies, speaking last week at IMS International's annual symposium in Brussels.

The pharmaceutical sector in Europe is very competitive, said Dr Bangemann; despite some problems, "it is one of our showcases." However, the industry utilizes a lower share of new technology than is the case in the USA, and this must be improved. The role of the Commission is to provide an enabling legal framework, he said, and stressed that he was not just talking about the European-owned pharmaceutical industry, but the whole of the sector operating within Europe. He also pointed out that encouragement from the Commission in this area was not aimed at blocking out companies beyond Europe, but at helping the industry within Europe to remain competitive. Moreover, he added, it is a mistake to consider this in terms only of Europe; we must think globally.

Govts "Must Be Persuaded Of Biotech's Benefits" Biotechnology is capturing market share and creating new markets, said the Commissioner, and pointed to the need to persuade populations and, especially, governments around Europe not to miss out on the possibilities which it is creating for patients and industry. He also told the meeting that the European Medicines Evaluation Agency is a success story, far more so than had originally been envisaged, with member states now having totally lost their initial fears that it would lead to them losing their competencies.