If the earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.
-- Napoleon Bonaparte
I’ve just returned from the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit in Istanbul. (The event was held in partnership with the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the World Health Organization.) It was a Turkish delight in more ways than one.
I had the opportunity to talk about the value of quality as it pertains to access. Beyond discussing bioequivalence, biosimilarity, and the many and varied issues pertaining to 21st century pharamcovigilance, my major points were that (1) the most expensive drug is the one that doesn’t work and, (2) broader access to poor quality medicines is not a public health victory.
A key learning for me was that, when it comes to “the market” and “society" -- the market is society. That’s important to remember whether the debate is about access in the Developing World or price/value in the First World. We are all in this together.
During my session’s Q&A a representative from India accused me of slamming generic drugs. I told him that he was hearing what he wanted to hear. I reiterated that generic drugs play a crucial role in access to healthcare around the world – but that quality is a non-negotiable variable for all drugs (both innovator and generic). I reminded him about what I’d said no more that 90 seconds earlier about the USFDA’s new Super Office of Pharmaceutical Quality – that we must approach the issue with “one quality standard” for all medicines.
After all, per the Journal of Infection (2008;56:35-9), “Nothing is more expensive that treatment failure.” In the 21st Century, pharmacovigilance must be about ensuring predictable patient outcomes.
The Indian gentleman’s question highlights an important problem – what happens when your desires do not match the facts? The answer is that we have to listen with an open mind, carefully, and respectfully. We all have to enlarge our circle of policy colleagues. I’m pleased to report that he and I had a long and productive chat afterwards.
The theme of the event was, “Effective international collaboration … across country borders, across disease groups and, through public private partnerships.” It's a small world after all and, at least for a few days, Istanbul was indeed it’s capital.
