Conference on health challenges for Europe
© Ministère des affaires étrangères et européennes
- On: 10.09.2008
- In: Paris, La Sorbonne
Healthcare systems in Europe are changing and will be facing a number of challenges - health-related, political and economic - in the coming years.
- The first challenge is that of access to very expensive medication. While almost 80% of the volume of medication is comprised of generics, new drugs are often very highly priced and targeted at small groups.
This raises several questions:
Who should decide on payment for these drugs? Experts? Patients' associations? Politicians? Could medication be a source of inequality within the Union?
- Secondly, access to medication has become a political and diplomatic issue.
The creation of Unitaid, the first international tax, whose purpose is to buy drugs at negotiated prices, is the perfect example of this health diplomacy in action and the leading role now played by Europe.
- The third challenge is that of European research policy in the health field. Does Europe have all the resources it needs to develop the healthcare industries? What policies are currently being applied, and how are manufacturers responding?
The conference is organised by the Leem (the association of French pharmaceutical laboratories) and IMS Health, a global operator in healthcare information and consulting.
- Updated: 28.10.2008
