Consider the enterprise of pharmaceuticals. Is it business? Is it health? Is it the business of health?
European Commission president José Manuel Barroso has decided to transfer responsibility for EU pharmaceutical policy to the commission's health directorate. The responsibilities of the new commissioner for health and consumer policy, John Dalli, will now include pharmaceuticals and the European Medicines Agency, which were previously overseen by the enterprise and industry directorate under former enterprise commissioner Günter Verheugen.
Verheugen was known as a strong supporter of the pharmaceutical industry. Among his projects was the "pharmaceutical package" of draft legislation, in particular the plan to allow pharmaceutical firms to give patients information on their prescription medicines.
According to an article in SCRIP World Pharmaceutical News, “Industry is clearly disappointed.”
EFPIA (the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations) put a somewhat better face on it, saying that it hoped the new commissioner would help to maintain the existing policy balance between the pharmaceutical industry's dual roles of meeting the health needs of Europe's patients and its "significant contribution to Europe's economic well-being.”
The industry has previously said it prefers the current arrangements because it is not simply a producer of medicines but a dynamic sector of the European innovation economy.
Which takes precedence? The importance the industry has to the greater EU economy (considerable) or the importance to the health of Europeans (crucial).
If we want healthcare policy (reimbursement and otherwise) to focus on patient care first and cost issues second – which answer does that point to?
Indeed.
European Commission president José Manuel Barroso has decided to transfer responsibility for EU pharmaceutical policy to the commission's health directorate. The responsibilities of the new commissioner for health and consumer policy, John Dalli, will now include pharmaceuticals and the European Medicines Agency, which were previously overseen by the enterprise and industry directorate under former enterprise commissioner Günter Verheugen.
Verheugen was known as a strong supporter of the pharmaceutical industry. Among his projects was the "pharmaceutical package" of draft legislation, in particular the plan to allow pharmaceutical firms to give patients information on their prescription medicines.
According to an article in SCRIP World Pharmaceutical News, “Industry is clearly disappointed.”
EFPIA (the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations) put a somewhat better face on it, saying that it hoped the new commissioner would help to maintain the existing policy balance between the pharmaceutical industry's dual roles of meeting the health needs of Europe's patients and its "significant contribution to Europe's economic well-being.”
The industry has previously said it prefers the current arrangements because it is not simply a producer of medicines but a dynamic sector of the European innovation economy.
Which takes precedence? The importance the industry has to the greater EU economy (considerable) or the importance to the health of Europeans (crucial).
If we want healthcare policy (reimbursement and otherwise) to focus on patient care first and cost issues second – which answer does that point to?
Indeed.
