EFPIA
Europe's pharmaceutical sector is stepping up measures to help deliver faster, more equitable access to medicines for millions of patients across the EU.
The new pledge from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) member companies should drastically increase the availability of innovative medicines in EU countries and decrease the time patients must wait for new medicines by several months.
From today EFPIA Member companies commit to file for pricing and reimbursement in all EU countries as soon as possible and no later than 2 years from the central EU market authorisation, provided that local systems allow it. The commitment is designed to help deliver faster, more equitable access to medicines for patients across Europe.
Data published by EFPIA last week showed that disparities in the time it takes for patients to access new medicines in different EU Member States are increasing. Patients in Germany wait around 133 days to access new medicines compared to patients in Romania that endure a wait of 899 days. Significant disparities also occurred in terms of availability of innovative medicines since less than 30% of centrally approved products are available in smaller and Eastern European Member States compared with 92% in Germany and 46% in average in the European Union.
Modelling by IQVIA predicts that the commitment to file would increase the availability of medicines from 18% up to 64% in several countries depending on the country’s payer resource for assessment of the increased number of applications. Critically, the modelling also estimates that the commitment would reduce the time patients wait for new medicines by 4 to 5 months in several countries such as Bulgaria (-179 days), Poland (-129 days) and Romania (-155 days).
However, the time between getting marketing authorisation and companies filing for pricing and reimbursement in a country is just one part of the story. According to analysis by Charles River Associates , there are 10 inter-related factors that cause barriers and delays in patients getting access to new medicines. These causes are rooted in Member States’ access systems and processes and their corresponding impact on commercial decision-making.
This is why the commitment to file is supported by the launch of an online portal where marketing authorisation holders can provide timely information regarding the timing and processing of pricing and reimbursement applications in the EU-27 countries. Bringing greater transparency to the barriers and delays to access will facilitate finding solutions in partnership. Further details of both the commitment to file and the online portal are included in Addressing patient inequalities in Europe , a position paper published by EFPIA today.
In addition to a more equitable system for patients, EFPIA is opening discussions on a more equitable system for EU Members States where the price of innovative medicines can vary between countries depending on their economic level and ability to pay. Also published today, a discussion document entitled ‘A Shared Approach to Supporting Equity-based Tiered Pricing’ sets out the key features of an equity-based tiered pricing system, anchored in the principle of solidarity between Member States and enshrined in the EU treaties. To deliver an equity based, fairer system requires the Commission and Member States to amend external reference pricing systems and undertake mechanisms to prevent the unintended consequences from internal trade in medicines.
Speaking about the launch of the new commitments, EFPIA Director General Nathalie Moll said. “By reducing the time it takes to file for pricing and reimbursement in all 27 EU member States, by bringing greater transparency to the barriers and delays to access, by co-creating an equity-based pricing system, by adopting an efficient system of EU assessments of relative efficacy and by sharing information on the implementation of novel pricing mechanisms, we believe that together we can create a step-change in the access landscape for patients across Europe. ”
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220410005007/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Board Recognized as a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Financial Planning Software for Fourth Consecutive Year4.12.2025 18:14:00 CET | Press release
Fourth consecutive placement reflects Board’s Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute Board, the leading Enterprise Planning Platform, today announced that it has been named a Leaderin the2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Financial Planning Software. This marks the fourth consecutive year the company has been positioned in the Leaders quadrant. The Board Enterprise Planning Platform integrates planning processes across the enterprise, enabling strategic, financial, and operational planning with near-real-time analysis and data sharing. Board’s unified approach to planning has driven strong adoption across financial and operational planning in the manufacturing, consumer packaged goods (CPG) and retail sectors. “We are proud to once again be named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Financial Planning Software,” said Jeff Casale, CEO of Board. “To Board, this recognition reflects our continued commitment to helping organizations unify strategic, financial, and operational p
UAE Unveils $1bn Yemen Energy Rebuild, Signalling New Opportunities for European Renewables and Grid Partners4.12.2025 18:04:00 CET | Press release
The UAE has announced a $1 billion package to help rebuild Yemen’s electricity sector, a move that analysts in Europe say could open new avenues for European renewable-energy firms seeking entry points into high-impact stabilisation projects across the Middle East. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251204476712/en/ UAE unveils $1bn Yemen energy rebuild, signalling new opportunities for European renewables and grid partners (Photo: AETOSWire) According to the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the decision was disclosed during the UAE’s participation in the first Yemen National Energy Conference (YFNEC 2025) recently. UAE’s Ambassador to Yemen Mohamed Hamad Al Zaabi reaffirmed the country’s commitment to advancing sustainable energy in Yemen, addressing longstanding grid challenges and strengthening public–private partnerships to stimulate future investment. The country’s renewed intervention arrives as Europe ac
LambdaTest Elevates Mudit Singh to Co-Founder as the Company Accelerates Its Next Phase of Growth4.12.2025 17:00:00 CET | Press release
Strengthening leadership as LambdaTest accelerates its next phase of AI-powered testing innovation and enterprise growth LambdaTest, a leading GenAI-native quality engineering platform, today announced the promotion of Mudit Singh to Co-Founder. This move recognizes his contributions in shaping the company's growth, strengthening its global brand, and driving product adoption across key markets. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251204685161/en/ Mudit Singh, Co-Founder and Head of Growth, LambdaTest Mudit joined LambdaTest in 2017 and has been instrumental in building the company's marketing engine, product-led growth initiatives, and community programs. Under his leadership as Head of Marketing and Growth, LambdaTest expanded its enterprise footprint, launched high-impact campaigns, and became a trusted partner for thousands of development and QA teams worldwide. "Mudit has been part of LambdaTest's story since
Rigaku Launches XTRAIA MF-3400, a Measuring Instrument for Next-generation Semiconductors4.12.2025 16:00:00 CET | Press release
High-precision wafer measurement meets surging demand from AI and data centers Rigaku Corporation, a global solution partner in X-ray analytical systems and a group company of Rigaku Holdings Corporation (headquarters: Akishima, Tokyo; CEO: Jun Kawakami; hereinafter “Rigaku”) has launched the XTRAIA MF-3400, an instrument used in semiconductor manufacturing processes to measure the thickness and composition of wafers. The XTRAIA MF-3400 will significantly enhance productivity in the rapidly growing semiconductor market by enabling high-accuracy evaluation of materials essential for mass production of next-generation memory chips and high-speed AI devices. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251204537975/en/ XTRAIA MF-3400 As generative AI and data centers continue to expand, demand is rising for high-performance, energy-efficient semiconductors capable of processing vast volumes of data. Consequently, semiconducto
Energy Vault Secures Swiss Market Entry with Signed B-VAULT™ Deployment Contracts for Schindler and Energie Wettingen Projects, Launch of FlexGrid Product for Urban and Utility Applications4.12.2025 15:20:00 CET | Press release
Energy Vault signs two B-VAULT™ contracts in the Swiss market for projects with Schindler Aufzüge AG and Energie Wettingen, marking the launch of Energy Vault’s B-Vault™ FlexGrid program designed for commercial and industrial (C&I) customersSwitzerland is a cornerstone of Energy Vault’s European strategy, with the company moving decisively to expand its presence with multiple projects per year as part of a broader European growth strategyIntegration with CKW’s Flexpool flexibility market set to enable participation in frequency regulation, voltage control, and reactive power marketsThe Schindler FlexGrid-enabled B-VAULT system is operating and qualified by Swissgrid Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NRGV) ("Energy Vault" or the "Company"), a global leader in grid-scale energy storage solutions, today announced its formal entry into the Swiss market with the launch of FlexGrid, a product designed for C&I customers based on a new configuration of its B-VAULT battery energy storage syste
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom