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Letter to the Editor re "Tackling drug costs" Editorial (02/08/2010)
Madam, I wish to comment on some of the statements contained in your editorial “Tackling drug costs” of the 5th February. The spend by the Irish State on medicines is, actually amongst the lowest in Western Europe. According to the latest available OECD data, Health at Glance 2007, pharmaceutical expenditure per capita in Ireland was just $320 whilst the OECD average was $413 and countries like Germany ($498), Spain ($515) and France ($554) spent well in excess of this sum. Taking another measure, pharmaceutical expenditure as a percentage of healthcare expenditure, the OECD average for 2007 is 17.6% whereas the Irish figure is just 14%.
Lower price of medicines may save Irish patients up to €500 per year (02/01/2010)
The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) announced that with effect from today, the 1st February 2010, the cost of long established medicines would be reduced by 40%. IPHA, the representative body for the international research-based pharmaceutical industry in Ireland, has set up a special website on which patients can check to see if their medicines are listed, and the price reduction. The website – www.checkthelist.ie - carries a detailed list of all the medicines and their new, lower prices. A lo-call number – (1890) 876 700 – has also been set up. checkthelist.ie includes some of the most commonly prescribed medicines in the country.
EVM Contributes to Council of Europe Hearing on “The Handling of The H1N1 Pandemic: More Transparency Needed?” (01/26/2010)
European Vaccine Manufacturers (EVM) welcomed the opportunity to address today’s Council of Europe Health Committee hearing on ‘The handling of the H1N1 pandemic: more transparency needed?’ EVM was pleased to provide information on industry’s role in helping combat pandemic influenza, and sought to address many of the misunderstandings that exist regarding the pandemic planning process. The EVM rejected allegations of inappropriate behaviour by vaccine producers during the response to H1N1 influenza, and provided additional clarity in several key areas.
Industry Statement to WHO Executive Board on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (01/20/2010)
Years of research and development and over $4 billion of investment by influenza vaccine manufacturers, working closely with the WHO network, have led to the production of new and specifically tailored H1N1 vaccines, with the first regulatory approvals achieved only 3 months after the WHO’s pandemic declaration.
Pharmaceutical Industry Emergency Aid for Haiti already amounts to more than $16.9 million (01/19/2010)
The research-based pharmaceutical industry represented by the IFPMA, of which the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) is a member, is providing significant emergency aid following the major earthquake that struck Haiti on the 12th January 2010. The total value of assistance provided so far by IFPMA member companies*, including both cash and donation of medicines and other medical supplies, already amounts to more than $16.9 million. Total industry assistance can be expected to increase further, as many companies have also committed to match employee contributions which are still being collected.
Andrew Witty, CEO GSK, succeeds Arthur Higgins as President of EFPIA (01/05/2010)
EFPIA, the voice of the research-based pharmaceutical industry in Europe, of which the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), is a member, welcomes Mr. Andrew Witty as its new President. Mr. Witty, who is CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, officially took up his post on January 1st, 2010, succeeding outgoing President Arthur J. Higgins, CEO of Bayer HealthCare.
Pharmaceutical industry has 23 vaccines in development for HIV/Aids without which infections could double globally (12/01/2009)
Today marks the 21st anniversary of 'World AIDS Day' - a global awareness campaign that originated at the 1988 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention. HIV/AIDS is one of the most devastating diseases affecting patients around the world. To help fight this global disease, pharmaceutical researchers are currently testing 97 medicines to treat HIV/AIDS and related conditions and intensifying their efforts to develop preventative vaccines. Since first identifying the AIDS virus in 1983, 31 medicines have been approved to treat HIV infection. The first AIDS medicine was approved in 1987 just four years after the virus was identified.
Colette Langan, Country Manager for Bristol Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals in Ireland and Finland has been appointed to the IPHA Strategy Board (11/23/2009)
The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) is pleased to announce the election of Colette Langan to its Prescription Medicines Division Strategy Board.
IPHA marks the 2nd European Antibiotic Awareness Day (11/18/2009)
Today marks the 2nd European Antibiotic Awareness Day. A European health initiaitve with the objective of raising awareness among the general public about correct antibiotic use. The rise of antibiotic resistance is linked directly to the inappropriate use of antibiotics, which has become a serious threat to public health in Europe.
Speech delivered by Dr Gerald Farrell, IPHA President at the Annual Dinner of the Association (11/12/2009)
Minister, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – you are all very welcome here this evening. As everyone in this room knows, our country is going through a very dark period with unprecedented economic challenges; there are scarcely enough resources to invest in healthcare. My message this evening is that the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland has a key role to play in our economic recovery and in the delivery of cost effective healthcare. To do so however, we need to do two things: we need to continue to promote and reward innovation and we need to tackle the real drivers of growth in health expenditure.
 

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