EUROPE MUST NOT BOW TO BIG PHARMA

Over 30 civil society organisations from across Europe and beyond wrote an open letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asking her to stand firm in the face of Pharma bullying. This letter comes at a critical time as the EU undertakes ambitious reforms of its pharmaceutical legislation that aim to make medicines more affordable and accessible for all Europeans.

In a letter, they warn, “These demands are not new, and they are not grounded in economic reality. They are part of a long-standing industry effort to maximize profit at the expense of patients, public budgets, and democratic decision-making”.

Instead, signatories say, “The EU should increase financing for innovation, but through publicly-accountable R&D investment, not higher prices”.

The open letter, available here in EN and here in ES, has been sent to the President of the European Commission, and it was shared with other relevant Commission departments, Members of the European Parliament, and national Permanent Representations.

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Notes to editors

Some of the signatory organisations have also contributed to a recent analysis, “Reality Check: Big Pharma’s Warning to the EU Capitalizes on Trump’s Chaos” (link). The issue has also received press attention in Politico Europe (link).

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