On 26 February 2002, the G10 Medicines Group adopted recommendations to enhance competitiveness in the pharmaceutical industry while sustaining high public health standards.
The G10's recommendations for action at European and national level covers several key areas including:
- improving the working of the pharmaceuticals market:
- develop a set of performance and competitiveness indicators (benchmarking);
- shorten the time between granting a marketing authorisation and pricing and reimbursement decisions;
- develop a competitive generic market, tackling intellectual property right issues;
- develop a competitive market for non-prescription medicines;
- find ways of sharing information and data;
- develop a health technology assessment (HTA), including clinical and cost effectiveness;
- improve the use of telematics.
- stimulating innovation and strengthening the European science base:
- improve the legislation and licensing system for introducing innovative medicines on the market;
- create European virtual institutes of health, connecting all competence centres ("network of excellence");
- improve coordination at EU level for clinical trials, a biotechnology strategy, an incentive policy to support research and the marketing of paediatric and orphan medicines;
- no advertising restrictions on non-prescription medicines.
- producing better information for patients:
- legislation on patient information leaflets should be reviewed;
- post-marketing surveillance should be optimised;
- fund European patient groups.
The Group is also fostering transparency and the active involvement of a wide range of interested parties through a number of concrete actions, such as the launch of a G10 Medicines Website, the publication of a consultation paper and a programme of workshops.
The G10's recommendations will be set out in a report, which will be presented to the European Commission President Romano Prodi in early May 2002, on "G10 Medicines Info Day".
(26 February 2002) [ FR
Bulgaria
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