The challenge for pharma companies: become a catalyst not a barrier

This 7th Access to Medicine Index was prepared amid the coronavirus pandemic which has thrown the chronic problem of inequitable access to medicine into sharp relief. Despite laudable moves by some pharmaceutical companies to curb profits to help fight the crisis, the stark reality is that billions of people living in low- and middle-income countries are still at the back of the queue for vaccines and treatments.

The Access to Medicine Index provides a guide to the practical, proven steps that can be taken by companies to improve access to life-saving medicines. These measures will not only help the world’s poor but also improve companies’ long-term business sustainability. Industry leaders and policymakers must learn from this pandemic and commit to ensure fair access to all essential medicines, whether for communicable or non-communicable diseases, from antiviral treatments and antibiotics to insulin and cancer therapies. This requires change in how a company runs, how it manages its R&D pipeline and how it delivers its products.

Chronic access problems persist My organisation has spent more than 15 years tracking the pharma industry’s contribution to global health. Over that time, we have seen undeniable progress. More companies today are taking seriously the access problems faced by people in low- and middle-income countries. Nonetheless, corporate decisions on chronic problems relating to pricing and availability of medicines mean that the industry is still too often a barrier to better healthcare rather than a catalyst for improvement. In the world’s poorest households, medicines remain the biggest single element of healthcare costs and the price is often crippling. Many times, they are simply unavailable.

Our 2021 Index spells out what needs to be done and examples of what works in practice, from supporting efforts to build local capacity to pairing R&D projects with clear access plans to resetting the industry’s research priorities to also address the specific needs of people living on low incomes.

“By investing in fair access to medicine for the poorest and most vulnerable among us, we are also investing in a fair, peaceful and prosperous global community.”

A pivotal time to leverage the power of science Although companies are inching ahead when it comes to embedding access into their business practices, activity still concentrates on too few diseases and too few countries, thus benefiting only a fraction of the people in need. What is more, most of the effort is being made by only a small number of firms, creating a fragile situation where any retreat could have dire consequences.

I believe the past year has demonstrated the pivotal importance of supplying affordable medicines for the many, rather than premium-priced products for the few. By investing in fair access to medicine for the poorest and most vulnerable among us, we are also investing in a fair, peaceful and prosperous global community. The power of science to help humanity – whether through new vaccines for common pathogens or novel drugs for rare diseases – is remarkable. But these breakthroughs will only truly deliver for the world if they reach all those who need them.

Jayasree K. Iyer

Executive Director, Access to Medicine Foundation