On 23d October 2018, the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) organised an event entitled “Healthier solutions for access to medicines” that was meant to shed light on what needs to happen to develop truly innovative medicines and keep them affordable. This requires to address issues such as the role of national and EU public subsidies for research and development, the health technology’s need to be truly innovative and effective and the problem of excessive pricing and how competition enforcement has an impact on prices.
The discussions showed that there is a huge need to improve transparency and accountability regarding research and development. Regarding Health Technology Assessment (HTA), people don’t only want medicines that are safe but also such that work and that there is a window of opportunity and value for money to be introduced into HTA. The event also showed that when it comes to innovation, and in light of the European Parliament elections, the EU can do something for its people: work out ways to provide affordable and accessible medicines.