Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – "Generic drugs represent an important resource for the National Health Service: they help ensure access to care and use available resources more efficiently, promoting the sustainability of pharmaceutical care." This is why, "in a complex international scenario, it is essential to strengthen production chains and ensure continuity of supplies." This was emphasized by Health Minister Orazio Schillaci in a video message sent for the presentation – today in Rome – of the 11th Report of the Observatory on Accessible Medicines by Egualia, the association of generic, biosimilar, and value-added medicine companies in Italy, produced with the contribution of Nomisma and Teha Group.
"Today, the issue of access to medicines must be considered within a profoundly changed scenario," the minister observed. "International tensions and critical issues affecting supply chains have highlighted the need for robust supply chains and production capacity to ensure the availability of medicines." "Ensuring continuity of supplies means protecting citizens' health first and foremost," Schillaci emphasized.
With this in mind, he noted, "we have strengthened the tools for monitoring and addressing shortages, starting with the activities of AIFA, which coordinates the Technical Committee on Drug Unavailability. This is complemented by the work of the Permanent Committee on Drug Procurement, established at the Ministry of Health. At the same time, we are working to make pharmaceutical governance more modern and efficient.
After nearly twenty years, we have reformed AIFA, and the new organizational model has helped reduce the timeframes for pricing and reimbursement procedures. We have also reformed the regulations for innovative drugs, establishing a more comprehensive framework for their access and financing.
"The challenge," the minister emphasized, "is to guarantee citizens effective and accessible treatments while simultaneously ensuring the sustainability of the National Health Service and the robustness of production chains.
In this balance, the off-patent drug industry represents a significant component of the pharmaceutical system and its ability to meet healthcare needs. Achieving these goals requires ongoing dialogue between institutions, businesses, professionals, and all stakeholders in the system. In this context, the Observatory Report offers useful data and analyses to better understand the evolution of the off-patent drug sector and identify the most appropriate responses to the challenges of the coming years,” concluded Schillaci.
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