Farmaindustria reviews R&D and scientific-professional activities

In 2015, the pharmaceutical industry based in Spain invested around 190 million euros ($215 million) in contracts with healthcare organizations and professionals within R&D projects, as well as having contributed 119 million euros in grants so that healthcare professionals could attend scientific activities and professional meetings which, besides, counted with the support of 66 million euros from the sector so that they can be organized through healthcare organizations, according to the trade group Farmaindustria.

These figures were made public last week thanks to the European transparency initiative adopted by the companies adhered to the Code of Good Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry in Spain, which between June 27 and 30 have disclosed in their websites the collaboration undertaken in 2015 with healthcare organizations and professionals derived from their collaboration in these fields. Two other concepts add up to the latter: provision of professional services, whereas these are individual or in groups, for a value of 88 million euros, and donations, which can only be made to healthcare organizations adding up to 33 million euros. From now on, the collaborations made the previous year will be disclosed in June.

The interactions between the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare professionals and organizations is fundamental for the research of new medicines, says Farmaindustria. This collaboration generates a virtuous win-win circle for all actor involved: professionals, since they update and improve their knowledge base about medicines; industry, which benefits from the scientific and  clinical experience of healthcare professionals; the healthcare system, which is improved by professionals with state-of-the-art knowledge and international biomedical research, as well as constant pharmacological improvements, and patients and society, direct receivers of the provision of healthcare services.