Denmark Established in 2017, the Danish Medicines Council is the health technology assessment (HTA)-like body in Denmark which assesses the value for patients and costs to society of new medicines. The Medicines Council then makes recommendations to the Danish Medicines Agency (the country’s regulator) and Amgros (the national public procurement body).…

Spain The Spanish pharma industry has entered the race to develop COVID-19 vaccines through an unexpected contender: an animal health company. HIPRA, headquartered in Catalonia, has received approval to begin human trials and expects to manufacture over 400 million doses in 2022.   While Spain ranks amongst the top 10 countries…

Ireland The latest news from Irish pharma, including a big new R&D investment for Abbott; contact lens giant Bausch & Lomb’s EUR 90 million manufacturing investment; and a new report on the danger that confidential pricing agreements pose to sustainable medicine costs in the country.   Abbott confirms new €37.8m R&D…

Europe Writing in the August edition of DIA’s Global Forum, Sanofi R&D’s Thomas Kühler outlines the bumpy journey towards the full adoption of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) across Europe.   More than three years ago, in January 2018, the European Commission published a draft Regulation on Health Technology Assessment for the EU.…

UK British pharmaceuticals giant, GSK, one of the UK’s largest companies by market capitalization, is once again finding itself under the spotlight as analysts and shareholders alike continue to query the long-term business strategy of the iconic drug maker.   Until relatively recently, the drug developer had made a point of…

Italy In recent months, a profound transformation has been occurring right at the core of the Italian pharmaceutical industry as the most significant reforms to market access within two decades start to take shape. While Mario Draghi’s energetic government has been dominating the headlines primarily for other reasons – namely sweeping…

Europe Boehringer Ingelheim’s Hubertus von Baumbach, the newly appointed president of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), shares the goals of his presidency and the role of the innovative European pharma industry in building a healthier future for the continent’s citizens in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Spain The latest from Spanish pharma, including the Patent and Trademark Office’s warning of the importance of IP protection for medical advancements, Grifols’ expansion in Africa through a manufacturing plant in Nigeria, Almirall’s newest EMA approval, and COVID-19 vaccination updates.   Spanish Patent Office: medical advances would be “inconceivable” without patents…

Switzerland Mental health is a global crisis. 25 percent of the world’s population struggle with mental illness; and mental, neurological, and substance use disorders account for 11 percent of the total global disease burden according to data from the Healthy Brains Global Initiative (HBGI). Global mental healthcare costs are expected to…

Switzerland The small Italian-speaking Canton of Ticino, nestled away in Southern Switzerland, is fast developing its reputation as a life sciences hub which – if not able to compete directly with Basel and Zurich – has plenty to offer in a number of important niches. Ticino boasts a core of well-established…

Switzerland Regarded as one of the world’s leading regulatory bodies, Swissmedic stands alongside its equivalents in Europe, Japan, Canada, and Australia in terms of the evaluation and approval of new drugs, notably COVID-19 vaccines. Although its approval times are increasing, raising doubts about Swissmedic’s continued place at the top table of…

Denmark On April 16, the Danish government unveiled, to great anticipation and fanfare, a brand-new National Life Science Strategy which seeks to chart the course for the next three years of an industry sector that has become increasingly influential for the country’s economy. Indeed, Denmark’s healthcare and life sciences segment now…