The discussion was triggered by the recent increase of specific innovative medicines’ prices which affects affordability hence the sustainability of not only the Member States with lower GDP but the better off ones as well. This is an alarm call that makes it necessary to cooperate more closely in the field of the pharma policy.
Hungary supports the cooperation in the field of health technology assessment and the regional cooperation between member states in the field of pricing and reimbursement, which may allow that countries in similar economic situation and healthcare establishment can more efficiently negotiate with pharma industry players enjoying monopolistic situation. In addition, Hungary considers that incentives enshrined in the EU law for promoting innovation did not fully achieve the legislator’s objective which is to ensure access to efficient pharmaceutical therapies for patients with unmet medical needs. Therefore we strongly support an overall analysis of the current system with a view of ensuring a fair, more proportionate and need based pharma innovation policy.
Mr. Beneda also expressed Hungary’s commitment in the field of food reformulation, another agenda item discussed during the Informal Council, as it is essential that salt, sugar, saturated fat and trans fatty acid content is significantly decreased in foodstuffs. For this reason, the Government endorsed the food reformulation roadmap put forward by the Dutch Presidency.
Antimicrobial resistance was also at the agenda of the meeting. Hungary shares the importance of the one health approach clearly expressing that AMR can not be faced through isolated actions of different policy sectors, but close cooperation is needed between human healthcare, veterinary care, environment and other policy makers.
