Access to medicines: evolving the European debate

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) has welcomed the debate held in the European parliament last week.

Ensuring access to medicines for patients in Europe while supporting the continued development of life saving and life changing medicines is of paramount importance to EFPIA and its member companies, the trade group says.

In the context of the debate, it is important to note that the overall medicines bill in Europe is currently under control and does not pose a threat to the sustainability of health care financing in Europe. In fact, overall, medicines across Europe represent less than 15% of total expenditure although variances exist among therapy areas. These variations pose financial problems for current governments although overall spending has decreased.