“Without transparency in the market of medicines there cannot be true competition. Cost of medicines is a crucial topic for our country, because it is directly linked to the sustainability of the national health system. We should not be afraid of transparency, markets should not fear a change in this direction, which is more and more needed. Citizens ask for it and for them access to healthcare is the primary need, and it is crucial for the future of our natoinal health systems”.
These are the words with which Minister of Health Giulia Grillo opened the press conference for the presentation of the proposal for a resolution at the World Health Organization (WHO) on the transparency of medicines’ prices. The conference was held on March 12th at the Ministerial Auditorium of Lungotevere Ripa; Undersecretary of State to Health, Armando Bertolazzi, Undersecretary of State to Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Manlio Di Stefano, and the Director General of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), Luca Li Bassi, also took place to the conference.
“The proposal which I sent to WHO arises from the need to address the issue of lack of transparency in the medicines sector and, in particular, how we get to medicines pricing – the Minister continued – In Europe, in 1988 the Directive of Transparency was issued but it never achieved the results in terms of transparency that it had set. Since then, many but fragmented initiatives were taken on this issue, which was never addressed however with a common systematic approach at the international level. For these reasons, I sent to WHO this proposal for a resolution which will be discussed in Geneva during the next World Health Assembly, from 20 to 28 May. The 194 member States will partecipate, plus other observers and NGOs, civil society organizations, students, etc.”.
