Pharmaceutical package

Key points

The EESC:

• supports the aim to improve the availability and accessibility of affordable medicines and boost the competitiveness as well as attractiveness of the EU pharmaceutical industry;
• notes that affordability and access continue to be key challenges. Points out that different models of joint purchasing of medicines have improved access to treatment;
• recalls the need for closer cooperation between the European Medicines Agency and national authorities in the context of the scientific evaluation of medicines;
• supports the push for greater transparency across the complex authorisation process;
• believes that in addition to effective measures to reduce the use of antibiotics, the focus must be on alternative incentive models throughout the R&D cycle;
• stresses that orphan medicinal product status should not be used for unreasonable price demands and that consideration should be given to a regular re-evaluation of the criteria;
• calls for a preliminary assessment on the possibility of setting up a special EU-level fund in order to ensure access to treatment for all patients suffering from rare diseases in the EU;
• considers that, in order to mitigate dependencies, there should be appropriate incentives to favour already existing pharmaceutical manufacturers in the EU and encourage the relocation of production from third countries. Advocates the establishment of a European contingency reserve of medicines of strategic importance;
• regrets that the proposal does not introduce any real obligation for manufacturers to build up safety stocks of active pharmaceutical ingredients for critical medicines;
• sees a need for the establishment of a pan-European R&D and innovation infrastructure.