About: medicines Archives

Given that the current European Commission has not prioritised healthcare, it looks as though it is up to the European Parliament to push the agenda, writes Denis Horgan.

Pressure is mounting on pharmaceutical companies to reconsider the way they do business by refocusing their efforts on meeting patient needs and health outcomes rather than their own profits.

Health spending in countries that belong to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is "at best ineffective and at worst wasteful", a new report has found.

The Greek government launched an official investigation into pharmaceutical giant Novartis, following the publication of allegations of corruption and bribery in national news media.

The Maltese EU presidency will seek more transparency in the way pharmaceutical companies negotiate with member states on medicines’ pricing, Health Minister Chris Fearne said in an interview with EURACTIV.

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has urged the European Commission to investigate pharma-industry “unethical” practices on drug pricing, after a scandal revealed last week in Italy.

The European Parliament will seek an increased EU role in regulating the pharmaceutical market and controlling rising drug prices, according to a draft report seen by EURACTIV.com.

Bulgaria and Romania will soon sign an intergovernmental agreement to jointly negotiate the pricing and availability of medicines with pharmaceutical companies, Bulgarian Health Minister Petar Moskov said in an interview with EURACTIV.com.

The United Nations High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines does not address the actual problems of developing countries, such as inadequate infrastructure and shortage of medical staff, writes Dr. Barbara Kolm.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will this week publish the much-awaited results of a pilot project on the early marketing authorisation of drugs, EURACTIV has learnt.

EU health ministers took reluctant steps last Friday (17 June) to address the rising price of medicines.

France is leading calls for the G7 to act against the inflation of medicine prices. Treatment costs are rising in rich countries, but can be even higher in the developing world. EURACTIV France reports.

Europe's pharmaceuticals industry said on Tuesday (1 September) it had filed a complaint with the European Commission against a French law promoting the use of Roche's cancer drug Avastin as an alternative to more expensive eye treatments.

Paracetamol tablets are the world’s most commonly used painkillers. According to a recent study published in the British journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, prolonged use of the drug can have very harmful side effects. EURACTIV France reports. 

Doctors in Germany often prescribe medications without any proof of additional benefit, a recent study indicates, revealing that the reasons behind this are unscientific. EURACTIV Germany reports.

American researchers believe that 97% of people over the age of 66 should regularly take statins to reduce their risk of heart disease. But there is still no consensus within the medical community on the benefits of the drugs. EURACTIV France reports. 

A new generation of anticoagulants have been blamed for the deaths of patients in France. Studies from two leading French health agencies conclude that they do not pose a serious risk, but doubts remain. EURACTIV France reports.

The world’s sick and vulnerable should have access to affordable medicines in emerging and developing countries, which should lead an international liberalisation effort, argues Rod Hunter.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England, Professor Dame Sally Davies, has pointed to the danger of bacteria's growing resistance to antibiotics, saying an EU funded medical initiative may be the solution to the problem.

The OECD is urging its member governments to harmonise their clinical trial approval processes, citing a decline in the pharmaceutical sector in the EU, where the number of applications for clinical trials fell 25% between 2007 and 2011.

Voting on a draft law Wednesday (6 February), the European Parliament said patients should have quicker access to cheaper generic medicines. The draft rules will require national authorities to meet new deadlines and transparency standards on pricing and reimbursement.

The overall corporate reputation of pharmaceutical companies declined in 2012 compared to 2011, according to an independent study by patients' organisations.

More transparency on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines should be the rule for the future to improve patient's access to affordable treatments, MEPs said after backing draft legislation in the environment and public health committee.

Antibiotics are a precious resource but they are often wasted on treating cold and flu's, with the dangerous effect that bacteria can develop resistance to them, writes Dr. Fidelma Fitzpatrick. However, there are many things policymakers and healthcare professional can do to preserve the efficacy of antibiotics, she says.