Brussels, 16 February 2023

Recent shortages of essential antibiotics in Europe have renewed the urgency to reform the pricing and industrial infrastructure for these essential medicines. The off-patent sector manufactures and supplies most antibiotics in Europe needed to control bacterial infections. Pricing policies for these antibiotics must urgently be reviewed so that they remain viable to produce and supply.

The AMR industry alliance report titled “Strengthening the Sustainability of the Off-Patent Supply Chain” states that the key requirements to improve the supply of antibiotic medicines are:

1. New pricing policies that reflect the value of essential antibiotics instead of lowest price only
2. Sustainable tender policies that reward multiple winners, thus reducing shortage risks
3. Improving health forecasting so antibiotic manufacturing can be adapted to meet demand spikes.

Medicines for Europe Director General Adrian van den Hoven said “Antibiotic shortages this winter were a perfect example of the policy gaps that make the supply of antibiotics so fragile. For years, policies have been based on the lowest price only, with restrictive tender rules. Both policies have fuelled market consolidation making it difficult to respond to sudden demand surges. We also need better disease forecasting in Europe to better plan manufacturing ahead of infectious seasons. These issues must be addressed in the upcoming revision of the EU pharmaceutical legislation to combat AMR.”

Resource hub

The AMR industry alliance report titled “Strengthening the Sustainability of the Off-Patent Supply Chain” is available at https://www.amrindustryalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CRA-AMR-Industry-Alliance-Sustainability-Framework-Report-FINAL.pdf

Medicines for Europe

Medicines for Europe represents the generic, biosimilar and value-added medicines industries across Europe. Its vision is to provide sustainable access to high quality medicines, based on 5 important pillars: patients, quality, value, sustainability and partnership. Its members directly employ 190,000 people at over 400 manufacturing and 126 R&D sites in Europe and invest up to 17% of their turnover in R&D investment. Medicines for Europe member companies across Europe are both increasing access to medicines and driving improved health outcomes. They play a key role in creating sustainable European healthcare systems by continuing to provide high quality, effective generic medicines, whilst also innovating to create new biosimilar medicines and bringing to market value added medicines, which deliver better health outcomes, greater efficiency and/or improved safety in the hospital setting for patients. For more information please follow us at www.medicinesforeurope.com and on Twitter @medicinesforEU. 

Medicines for Europe press contact:

Kate O Regan koregan@medicinesforeurope.com

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