For a Pharmaceutical Strategy that protects EU citizens, healthcare systems and EU competitiveness

The self-care industry, namely non-prescription medicines, has been helping to address the challenges of healthcare systems by providing solutions that bring rationality and optimise healthcare system resources. The Pharmaceutical Strategy should seize upon the socio-economic benefits that improving availability of non-prescription medicines can bring. The Strategy must also build on lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic with the ultimate goal of better preparing Europe to face crises of similar nature in the future.

AESGP welcomes the European Commission Roadmap on the Pharmaceutical Strategy, ensuring sustainable innovation and the availability and affordability of medicines and medical technologies for citizens. Working towards patient-centred healthcare systems will require to develop further solutions that are tailored to patients’ needs, bearing in mind the sustainability of EU Member States healthcare systems.

The Strategy must build on lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic with the ultimate goal of better preparing Europe to face crises of similar nature in the future.

AESGP believes that the next European Pharmaceutical Strategy needs to acknowledge the specificities of different pharmaceutical products and their different regulatory pathways. The self-care industry, namely non-prescription medicines, has been helping to address the challenges of healthcare systems. This industry has tried to respond to these challenges by providing solutions that bring rationality and optimise healthcare system resources. Particularities in the regulation of these products have been paramount in increasing their availability and accessibility.

With European population ageing and new emerging health risks, creating additional burden on health systems, the Pharmaceutical Strategy should seize upon the socio-economic benefits that improving availability of non-prescription medicines can bring. The benefits of wider availability of non-prescription medicines in Europe, as recognised in the strategy of the Heads of Medicines Agencies 2020, are currently far short of being fulfilled. There is great divergence between what countries will accept as non-prescription medicinal products, and/or their approvable indications and posologies.

In line with this Commission’s commitment for legislative simplification, AESGP agrees that it is crucial to pursue a better regulation agenda for the pharmaceutical sector, to reduce red tape and improve effectiveness.

AESGP will answer to the consultation following the Roadmap release and welcomes dialogue with the European Commission. This interaction will aim at contributing to a comprehensive Pharmaceutical Strategy that responds to the needs of European citizens and health systems, as well as to support innovation and competitiveness of the pharmaceutical Industry.

Download AESGP reaction to European Commission’s Pharmaceutical Strategy Roadmap