EFPIA Conference: Arthur Higgins offers five-point strategy for pharma sector

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations has called on governments and policymakers throughout Europe "to use the  financial crises as a real opportunity to make health care systems fit  for the 21st century, and not as yet another excuse for cutting health  and pharmaceutical expenditure."

"Immense pressure" on public budgets

The EFPIA noted that IMS Health forecasts for the global health care  market have dropped significantly to 2.5%-3.5% on a constant-dollar  basis in 2009 (Marketletter April 27), down two percentage points from  the 4.5%-5.5% level indicated last year (Marketletter November 10,  2008). The drugmaker's group commented that "the severity of the  economic downturn is putting public budgets under immense pressure and  this could affect patient access to new medicines as well as the  pharmaceutical sector's competitiveness and ability to fund future  research."