Farmaindustria, the employers’ association of the pharmaceutical industry in Spain, has proposed the creation of a system for early access to new medicines to the Ministry of Health, due to the fact that in Spain, unlike other countries around us, the time it takes to finance a medicine is much superior, almost more than 500 days.
With this system you will make it easier for patients to have access to medicines as soon as possible.
This has been revealed during the XVIII Pharmaceutical Industry & Media Seminar focused on the analysis of the current situation after the pandemic and the objectives for the coming months.
At the moment, explained Javier Urzay, deputy director general of Farmaindustria, it is only a proposal.
Urzay pointed out that this proposal can be articulated in different ways, but “it will depend on whether the Administration starts it up and, among all actors, see what is the best way to do it.” This early access system already exists in Germany.
In addition, Farmaindustria wants to promote a strategic plan for the pharmaceutical sector within the European framework. As explained by the new CEO of Farmaindustria, Juan Yermo, ehe main objective of this plan is to improve the health of patients, but it also aims to improve research in the field of health. “We want to strengthen the productive fabric of Spain and achieve better results in the innovation of medicines and the resilience of our health system.”
Yermo also highlighted the role of the Spanish industrial fabric. “We are one of the European leaders in production.”
He recalled that in situations of stress, such as with the pandemic, this industrial fabric has allowed there to be no shortage of medicines, “in times of economic, financial and autarky stress it is common for there to be shortages and there has not been,” highlighted Yermo.
Regarding the future of the pharmaceutical industry, it was agreed at the seminar that precision medicine and advanced therapies will be some of the topics in which more research will be carried out and all the diseases related to the future aging of the population such as «cancer, or neurogenerative diseases»
The director general of Farmaindustria has alluded to the constant collaboration he has had since joining his position 5 months ago, with the Ministry of Health and the need for “joint work” and has alluded to the Strategic Plan of the Pharmaceutical Industry on which they work.
For Urzay, the health sector can contribute to the compensation of the inhabitants and the resources of the so-called “emptied Spain” and promote social cohesion, since “resources in pharmaceutical research are not an expense but an investment.”