Recap: launch of the 2014 Access to Medicine Index

The new 2014 ranking and findings have been covered widely in global media outlets, including the Financial Times, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal and Die Welt, as well as in industry-focused titles, such as PharmaTimes, Scrip and the Pharmaceutical Journal.

In these articles, the 2014 Index report was used to further ongoing public discussion about the role of the pharmaceutical industry and access to medicine. Particular attention was paid to the companies at the top of the ranking, as well as to specific topics, such as the level and focus of companies’ R&D activities for developing countries. Many articles digested the report’s overall industry analysis: that the pharmaceutical industry is indeed making progress on access to medicine, although not in all areas, namely Intellectual Property-management and ethical behaviour. Rising interest in the Index was also reflected online, with the new report being downloaded 58% more times at publication than in 2012.

Global health agenda

The Index team has presented new insights based on 2014 data at a series of events and meetings, including at the 2014 Trilateral Symposium of the WHO, WTO & WIPO, the 2014 FT Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Conference , and at the European Parliament , as well as on vaccines in development at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene . In January 2015, Index CEO and founder, Wim Leereveld discussed access to medicine at a private session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

At the end of 2014, the Foundation was invited to present the new Index at four global investor briefings, which drew more than 100 attendees, including sell-side analysts, bankers, brokers and ESG analysts from more than 40 institutions, as well as company representatives and other stakeholders. The briefings took place in London, Paris, Basel and New York City, and were hosted by signatories to the Access to Medicine Index investor statement Aviva Investors, Amundi Asset Management, Bank J. Safra Sarasin and Boston Common Asset Management, as well as Alliance Bernstein. You can read more about the briefings here .

“Our ongoing discussions are focusing on where the pharmaceutical industry is already strong on access to medicine and where much work remains to be done,” says Wim Leereveld, CEO and founder of the Access to Medicine Index. “There is a growing consensus that companies need to take a long-term approach to improving access to medicine, and that all companies have opportunities to improve.”