New Government could create new opportunities for the Dutch pharmaceutical industry, Focus Reports
Release Date: 2010-10-14
Several days ago a new governmental coalition was formed in the Netherlands between the Christian Democrats (CDA), the pro-business Liberal Party (VVD) and the anti-Islamist Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV). Today, the 14th of October, and more than 100 days since the national elections, the new ministers forming the government assumed office to begin a new “era” in Dutch politics.The changes impacting the local pharmaceutical industry relate to the appointments of the new minister of economic affairs Maxime Verhagen, (substituting Maria van der Hoeven) and the minister of health, welfare and sport Edith Schippers (replacing Ab Klink).
Earlier this week we had the chance to talk about this change to both drs. P.F.Bongers, chairman of BOGIN, (The Association of the Dutch Generic Medicines Industry) and Dr. Michel Dutrée, general manager of NEFARMA (Association of Innovative Medicines in the Netherlands) in an exclusive interview for Focus Reports. Both saw the appointments as imminent since some time ago.
As a matter of fact, Dutrée believes that a lot of opportunities were missed in the past years because of the unfriendly climate for investments and R&D in this sector. The closure of R&D facilities at Organon – once a Dutch giant in pharmaceuticals before being obtained by MSD – is a clear example. In his opinion, life sciences should become a key area for the new government. Additionally, further investment in pharmaceuticals should be made in order to build a good solid infrastructure for innovation. Whereas past governments saw only the cost factor of pharmaceuticals on state budgets, Dr. Dutree believes a new view should be adopted which takes into account the added value for economic and social wellbeing that healthcare investment creates.
On the generics side, Bongers is expecting the new government to put forth a new budget, but admits that further substantial impact on the generics sectors is difficult to see at this particular moment. Nevertheless, according to him, there are two points that the new government is expected to put on its agenda: first, ensuring that local prices are in line with European efforts and second, to introduce more frequent recalculations of the GVS system (reimbursement system introduces in Netherlands in 1991).
From the point of view of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, the governmental change brings positive transformations into the market. A clear illustration of this is the declaration of the new minister of health advising general practitioners (GPs) to pay more attention to the work done in hospitals and consequently promote more self care from the patient’s side. This leads in an increase in the population’s interest in OTC drugs and allows pharmacies to make OTC medication an active part of their promotional strategy. Bernard Mauritz – executive director of NEPROFARM – says that the new minister of health, welfare and sport has historically been in favor of the liberalization of the OTC drugs distribution and he expects this same position to hold for the new minister.
All things considered, the Netherlands nowadays seems to be a place of great changes and opportunities. Only time will tell how these changes will influence the pharmaceutical industry and its stakeholders
| Type: | NORMAL |
| Company: | Focus Reports |
| Country: | Switzerland |