OMI culminates at the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Tel Aviv, Israel

^12-09-2022
 
The work of the OMI culminated at the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Tel Aviv, Israel, in September 2022. Member States gave WHO/Europe the mandate to continue to act as a neutral convenor, host and facilitator by creating a formal stakeholder collaboration platform – the WHO/Europe Access to Novel Medicines Platform (NMP) – to improve affordable and equitable access to effective, novel, high-priced medicines in the Region. A statement endorsed by Member States sets out 6 technical areas for potential future collaboration.

Oslo Medicines Initiative charts the way towards equitable access to medicines in the WHO European Region

^07-09-2021

As part of the Oslo Medicines Initiative (OMI), the WHO Regional Director for Europe, officials from the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Norwegian Medicines Agency, and representatives from the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations met on 6 September 2021 to discuss challenges related to access to high-cost novel therapies in the WHO European Region.

The meeting focused mainly on the importance of recognizing that scientific breakthroughs support the development of novel therapeutic treatments and diagnostics, which in turn boosts the health of patients and the performance of health systems, while improving the overall economy. It was also noted that the costs of advanced therapy medicinal products present fiscal challenges for Member States, even for high-income countries.

Despite noticeable progress made in recent years, access to innovative medicinal products continues to be a challenge for many patients in the WHO European Region.

A sustainable model

High health expenditures are a strain on national budgets, and even high-income countries are unable to fund some high-cost novel medicinal products due to low cost-effectiveness or lack of evidence, while at the same time recognizing the potential clinical benefits for patients.

Access to new therapies takes longer for patients and health systems in eastern European and central Asian countries than for other Member States, and some treatments never reach these markets, often for economic reasons. This disparity highlights the need for an equitable and sustainable model for the innovation of and access to new medicines throughout the Region.

Leveraging lessons from COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of science and innovation and offers key insights into what could inform this new model.

The pandemic has also shown the potential for finding solutions when all stakeholders come together to solve a common problem. Such collaboration, when carried out transparently, promotes and ensures sustainability.

The work of the OMI will continue to build on the COVID-19 experience by facilitating consensus and a common vision of collaborative efforts in other clinical areas.

Leveraging the momentum achieved through the consultations conducted by the WHO Regional Office for Europe with Member States and civil society in the first half of 2021, the OMI Secretariat is currently conducting a series of stakeholder engagement meetings. The aim of these meetings is to identify and agree on a series of principles for a new collective agreement—or social contract—that will outline how effective collaboration can be used to benefit patients and health systems in the pan-European region.

WHO/Europe Regional Director introduces Oslo Medicines Initiative to Biopharmaceutical CEO Roundtable

^22-06-2021

Following an invitation by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Associations (IFPMA) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), the WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge met with members of the Biopharmaceutical CEO Roundtable.

During the meeting, they discussed the Oslo Medicines Initiative (OMI) and how the industry could contribute to OMI’s vision for collaboration between the public and private sectors to improve sustainable access to effective, high-cost novel medicines across the WHO European Region.