EGA Press Release

Thursday, 8 July 2010

INAUGURATION AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF LEUVEN:
EGA CHAIR “EUROPEAN POLICY TOWARDS GENERIC MEDICINES”

On Thursday 8 th July 2010, the rector of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Prof. Mark Waer, inaugurated the EGA Chair “European policy towards generic medicines”. This Chair is funded by the European Generic medicines Association (EGA) in collaboration with Mylan SAS, Ratiopharm GmbH, Sandoz International GmbH and TEVA Pharmaceuticals Europe BV, for a five-year period.

The aim of the Chair is to study the generic medicines policy environment in European countries. The Chair explores issues surrounding the European generic medicines industry and its patients’ access to affordable healthcare, the effect of generic competition on healthcare budgets and the incentives to use generic medicines for physicians, pharmacists and patients. The focus of the Chair will be on the comparative analysis of generic medicines policies between European countries in addition to the study of policies in individual countries.

Greg Perry, Director General of EGA said in his speech at the inauguration: “As is recognised by all policy makers and stakeholders in the pharmaceutical market, generic medicines offer equivalent medical treatments at lower costs for healthcare systems and patients. Nowadays, half of the medicines used by European citizens are generic medicines, accounting for only 18% of the pharmaceutical expenditure. The European generic medicines industry employs over 150,000 persons directly. Cost-effective generic medicines save EU patients and healthcare systems over €30 billion each year, thus helping to ensure patient access to essential medicines. However, not all member states realise the potential savings that are possible through generic competition. Therefore, there is a need for more scientific studying of the generic medicines market. By supporting this Chair, the EGA and the other sponsors make visible their interest in the promotion and dissemination of independent scientific research on generic medicines policy. It is hoped that the Chair will bridge the divide between scientific research and the implementation of policies surrounding generic medicines in European countries.”

The holder of the Chair is Dr. Steven Simoens, professor at the Research Centre for Pharmaceutical Care and Pharmaco-economics of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. He has worked extensively in the area of policy surrounding generic medicines in Europe. Dr. Simoens has previously authored the 2006 report: “Sustaining generic medicines markets in Europe”, which urged the rational use of generic medicines to sustain healthcare provision.

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For further information contact Elke Grooten
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