Pharma industry faces call to expand patient access in low- and middle-income countries

The article details the Access to Medicine Foundation's latest report, which evaluates the patient reach approaches of major pharmaceutical companies. As the industry faces growing pressure on the effectiveness of their patient reach, the report assesses the commitments of 20 leading pharmaceutical companies ahead of the 2024 Access to Medicine Index, which will be released in November. 

The article highlights the findings of the report: that a small number of companies dominate the market, which contributes to the limited availability of essential medicines in underserved regions. In addition, while 19 out of 20 assessed companies have developed mechanisms to track their patient reach in LMICs, the absence of a unified method for reporting remains a significant issue. 

The article aligns with the report's call for pharmaceutical companies to turn their commitments into meaningful action. It emphasises the importance of integrating patient reach into their core operations, adopting innovative pricing strategies, and ensuring sustainable supply chains to effectively tackle health inequities.  

“Companies must prioritise patient reach or risk falling short in addressing health inequity. Our findings lay out a clear path for pharma companies to do this, emphasising how they can embed equitable access within their business operations,” states Claudia Martínez, Head of Research at the Access to Medicine Foundation.