BRUSSELS, Feb 13 (APM) - The European Commission has been sharply criticised for failing to address the cost of life-saving medicines after an inconclusive debate that had been triggered by continuing concerns over paying for Sovaldi and other high-priced innovative medicines.
Richard More O'Ferrall, spokesman for the Green group in the European Parliament, told the debate on Wednesday night: "It is shameful that the European Commission continues to refuse to address the exorbitant cost of life-saving medicines, which is preventing those suffering from life-threatening illnesses from accessing treatment."
It was the Green group that had instigated the debate - and that displayed some of the most disappointment at its limited outcome.
Notably, neither of the representatives from the European Commission or the Council had any direct responsibility for the subject under discussion or for European health or industry policy.
"Quasi-monopolies and abuse of market position are at the heart of the problem and the Commission could address this by reviewing the way patents are applied to such sensitive medicines," More O'Ferrall told APM on Thursday morning. "The failure to even acknowledge this is a scandal."
Michèle Rivasi, the French Green MEP who has repeatedly accused the European Union of inertia on the problem, played a prominent part in the debate, expressing hope that the new Commission would do more than its predecessor had done in the wake of a similar debate last September.
"The European Commission should tell member states to use compulsory licences", she said. Where there is an emergency health need caused by high prices of monopoly suppliers, "national governments should suspend the patent and allow for a generic version of these medicines", she added.
But the European Union representatives in the parliament's debate restricted themselves to repetitions of well-known formulae, citing the EU's lack of powers in medicines pricing and reimbursement, summarising recent discussions, and noting that the subject is on the agenda.
Latvian development minister Zanda Kalniña Lukasevica - standing in for Latvia's health minister - listed the EU mechanisms in place to promote innovation and provide earlier access - such as conditional marketing authorisations.
But she did little more than acknowledge that there was a challenge in ensuring access for all at affordable prices, and promise that the matter would be looked at during the months until June that Latvia is president of the Council.
For the Commission, a similar line was taken by Christos Stylianides, who is responsible for humanitarian aid and crisis management (as well as Ebola), and who was standing in for Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, who is responsible for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness.
He welcomed the debate and promised the Commission would support member states in examining what might be done with existing legislation, regulatory tools, and voluntary exchange of information, and expressed confidence that combined action among all stakeholders will improve access to healthcare across the EU.
After the debate, Rivasi told APM that the Council, the Commission - and even most of the centre right MEPs who took part in the debate - had completely missed the point.
"Instead of talking about patient access to medicines - which is a priority of social justice - they were discussing how to get medicines onto the market; which has nothing to do with the problem".
"We have to have the courage to open the debate on intellectual property rights and research funding", said Rivasi, applauding recent action by Médecins du Monde to challenge the patent on Sovaldi at the European Patent Office (APMMA 41418).
There was the customary diplomatic response to the debate from stakeholders.
The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations welcomed the debate because the subject "is of paramount importance".
Richard Bergstrom, EFPIA director general, added that the debate "has to go beyond simply the cost of medicines", and to take account of "the broader societal, economic and health benefits of biomedical research and innovative medicines".
Francesco de Lorenzo, president of the European Cancer Patient Coalition, congratulated the Parliament on "a very interesting debate" and interpreted the Commission’s message as "giving hope".
But he did recognise that this is "only a baseline for future necessary developments" - and particularly Commission reconsideration of legislation. He favoured the extension of recent joint procurement agreements that are designed for obtaining vaccines so that they can cover "all drugs, including oncology treatments".
"Europe cannot afford to leave the market of pharmaceuticals unrestricted and unregulated", he said.
A spokesperson for the European Kidney Health Alliance said that the debate "should not be focused just on medicines but on high-cost treatments in general".
"Maybe what is needed is an EU intervention to help improve access to health care across the board… and maybe it should not be a member state competence".
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