05 November 2018

Goldman Sachs & UBS to co-host investor launches of 2018 Access to Medicine Index

On Thursday 22 November, Goldman Sachs will co-host the London investor event about the 2018 Index together with the Access to Medicine Foundation. Two more investor events will follow: in New York City, also co-hosted by Goldman Sachs, and in Tokyo, co-hosted by UBS. Each event will include one-on-one/one-to-few meetings between representatives of pharmaceutical companies and their investors to discuss the companies’ efforts to improve access to medicine and their performances in the Access to Medicine Index.

The Access to Medicine Index ranks 20 of the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical companies, on the basis of how they make medicines, vaccines and diagnostics more accessible in low- and middle-income countries. It is based on a range of value drivers within the pharmaceutical business, including governance, compliance, R&D and pricing.

2018 Investor events

  • Thursday, 22 November: co-hosted with Goldman Sachs, London

  • Friday, 7 December: co-hosted with Goldman Sachs, New York City

  • Tuesday, 11 December: co-hosted with UBS, Tokyo

2018 Index: out on 20 November
The Access to Medicine Foundation will publish the 6th Access to Medicine Index on Tuesday 20 November 2018. The latest report will show what 20 of the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical companies are doing to improve access to medicine for the world’s poorest populations. The 2018 Index assesses pharmaceutical companies’ actions across 106 low- and middle-income countries, in relation to 77 high-burden diseases, conditions and pathogens. This includes infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, as well as many lifestyle-linked diseases, for example heart disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases.

The 2018 Index will also include cancer and emerging infectious diseases in scope for the first time. 

Investors using the Access to Medicine Index
The Access to Medicine Index is viewed by asset managers, asset owners and analysts as one of the most credible sources of information for assessing how pharmaceutical companies strengthen their licence to operate globally and expand in international markets. The Index is endorsed by a group of 80+ signatory investors – collectively managing assets worth more than USD 10 trillion – which have signed our Investor Statement and committed to using the Index in their investment analysis and engagements with companies. The Exposure Draft of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Standard for the Pharmaceutical Industry already incorporates elements of the Index methodology and the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) recently included the Index in its Navigating Impact online platform. The ranking and scores of the Access to Medicine Index can also be found on the Bloomberg Professional service at ESG.