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News
05 July 2016
EU
- Inequalities, - Healthcare, - Medicines

EFA shares the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) view that health is a fundamental right for everyone and therefore medicines, which allow for this right to be fully enjoyed by all people, should not be considered as normal goods. Medicines should rather be public goods, accessible and affordable to everyone in need.

We strongly support EPF’s position paper “Core Principles from the Patients’ Perspective on the Value and Pricing of Innovative Medicines”. This document will represent a valuable contribution to the debate about pricing and reimbursement systems and their influence on access and equity, values that we, as a patients’ association, consider of the utmost importance.

Proper access to medicines based on needs is crucial for people with chronic diseases, such as asthma, allergy and COPD, as they will be better empowered to manage their conditions. The access to basic and truly innovative medicines is therefore paramount to improve their health and quality of daily-life, avoiding exacerbations and sometimes even death.

EFA consulted internally with members who shared their thoughts and contributions. On the one hand, they underlined the need to have access to basic medicines for all, particularly for those affected by chronic diseases and with low income. They also highlighted accessibility to new innovative medications that address patient needs as a fundamental factor that should be guaranteed in all EU Member States within a short period of time, no more than 12 months.

In line with EPF’s core principles, EFA members proposed a review of the current system of pricing and reimbursement of medicines in Europe to make it fairer and more transparent. In addition, pricing and reimbursement authorities should increase the transparency of their decisions and involve patients’ organisations in this process.

Patients have the unique expertise of living with the disease in their daily-life, and therefore they know the value of certain medicines to their health and quality of life.

We call on the European institutions to work on such an important topic for patients with asthma, allergy and COPD in Europe to limit health inequalities within and between Member States of the European Union.

You can access EFA's full statement on value and pricing of innovative medicines here.

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