As Europe’s population ages, demands on healthcare systems will inevitably increase. Research and development into medicines is expensive, raising questions about costs, equitable access, and affordability. Can technological innovation help drive costs down (and even facilitate more personalised medicine for individual patients)?
How can Europe ensure that the most advanced and effective medicines are not just available to the wealthiest in society, but that they can benefit the public more generally? How can that impulse be balanced against the costs of research and development?
We put some of YOUR questions on this topic to a panel of experts:
💬 Nicoletta Luppi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, MSD Italia
💬 Yann Le Cam, Founder & Chief Executive, Eurordis – Rare Disease Europe
How can the EU improve access and affordability of medicines? How is the EU going to make medicine available at quality standards equal to all the citizens of the European Union? What will be the impact of telemedicine and telehealth in general into the future medicine costs? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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Q: Can anybody rule over or “legally direct/order” any global pharmaceutical giant- like GSK or Merck etc. – when it doesn’t suit them? Despite the many medical oversight orgs?
How many pharma lobbyists are trying their utmost to rule the EU27 to gain influence over 400+ Mio of us? It would be too wasteful to tackle each member with lower numbers separately! Comparative advantage in numbers for lobbyists!
Just one special case in point:
The manufacturers of a “Thyroid” drug called ‘Eltroxin’ (sold in many countries & globally) decided to change(?) the formulation. (‘Only’ the binder- therefore the same!)
With devastating side effects for many long-term users globally! Misinformation’s continued for years! An exception?
Maybe some folks remember?
https://www.connexionfrance.com/article/French-news/The-old-Levothyrox-Merck-medicine-formula-will-now-be-available-in-France-until-end-of-2021-due-to-Covid-19-crisis-complications
https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/hot/alerts/EltroxinInfo.asp
https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/levothyroxine-hair-loss-3562479/
Little fish for some- big ones for many. Any honest & plausible explanations?
Germany’s dream: “wir schaffen das…failed & so will the EU dream of: ‘wir schaffen even more…’at the back of 400 Mio.!
health is not a European subject… don t be the puppet of the big pharma lobbies in Brussels
Et faut que cela devienne son domaine mais en créant un service publique européen
absolutely not talking like this, that’s for sure
Control, alt, delete EU!
The only thing we need is our countries back to us, the inhabitants! When the “European Union” started in the ’90, I predicted that within 50 years the population would fight to get their respective countries back. We’re not far from that moment… You guys only make a mess of it all (purposely!)
Hear hear!
Iron and clay will not cleave to one another. EU is unwanted by a lot of it’s ‘citizens’, a bottomless moneypit and a disgraceful abomination, only in ‘existence’ because of Rome to exercise it’s power as a beast.
EU moet opgedoekt worden
Let’s make the EU a democracy.Let the european people vote if they want to be ruled by the “EU”.
Ok million-dollar corporate think-tank
If only people were the most important thing, next to caring for our world, everything would be alright. You are waging war on us & saying it’s for our own good? If you have power then use it for good not profit & power.
The EU needs to let countries decide for themselves.They’ve ruined enough already.You failed.Miserably
Sponsored by fizzer and the rest of big pharma no doubt
De EU bestaat niet. Ze zitten daar allemaal te praten en in mekaars gezicht te lachen en gaan dan naar huis en ze doen daar toch wat ze zelf willen.
The EU is a failed experiment. I thought we all abhorred empires?
You mean “destroying Europe?”
C’est quoi l’Europe, c’est anglais, je croyais qu’elle était sortie de l’Union européenne.
Yes but if you want to communicate globally, need I say more?
Or, alternatively, You could de-regulate shit, cut the miles-long red tape for production and distribution, etc. etc. to allow for competetiveness. Or stick to the model where only the bigones who are lining your pockets are allowed to play and re-distribute this has been turning out great these past 30 years, right? Amazing how the EU beaurocrats are now trotting out the problems THEY created as some evidence to how their existance is valid.
Ask your drug business whether they are willing to stop monopoly of the market and make reasonable profit first.
Equitable price for the affluent and the less affluent ones?
BY TAKING THE GOVERNMENTS AND ITSELF OUT OF THE MEDICINE MARKET AND HEALTH
This is a monopoly encouraged by the medical interests. This cannot be eliminated when elected politicians are supporting by business interests.
They are pretty expensive and when you need a lot of them, it is costly.
Hm… It is not possible at the moment once there are differences in earnings, general costs etc.