Drugmakers’ patient access programmes - large on intent, but gaps remain, finds report

The article draws on insights from the Foundation's latest report, emphasising that while major pharmaceutical companies are committing to patient reach, there is an urgent need for more effective strategies to ensure that medicines reach those who need them most. It explores the report’s findings and underscores the importance of integrating patient assistance programmes into core business operations, particularly to enhance distribution in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that bear the highest disease burden.

Additionally, the article resonates with the report’s call for more “precise and actionable” goals to drive meaningful change, quoting, “despite comprising 80 percent of the global population, people in LMICs still face significant challenges in accessing essential healthcare products. As demand for these products grows in underserved regions, the limited availability—often due to production by only a few companies or single suppliers—becomes more pressing.” 

The article also discusses points raised by Jayasree K. Iyer, CEO of the Foundation, who provided specific examples concerning tuberculosis (TB) drugs and diabetes products. She noted that access to TB medications improved through collaborative efforts. However, the market dominance of a small number of companies in the diabetes and cancer treatment sectors has resulted in significant access disparities for these vital products.