Panel of Guaranteed Irish pharmaceutical experts call on Government and key stakeholders to collaborate to achieve more timely access to medicines for Irish patients.
The Annual Guaranteed Irish Pharmaceutical Forum, hosted by Guaranteed Irish featured an industry leading line-up within the pharmaceutical sector. The panel discussion featured industry thought leaders Mairead McCaul Managing Director of MSD Ireland Human Health, Matt Moran Director of BioPharmaChem Ireland, Ibec, Brenda Dooley CEO AXIS Consulting and Michael O’Connell Country Director of Biogen and President of the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA). The attendees included more than 100 registrations from pharmaceutical businesses across the country.
Industry Successes to Date
The panel outlined Ireland’s position as a major global player in pharmaceutical production, employing over 30,000 people in Ireland directly, and a further 30,000 indirectly, with Irish exports exceeding €100 billion. Ireland is now the largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals in the EU accounting for over 50% of all exports from the country and is one of the main hubs of manufacturing pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals in the world, with 24 of the 25 global leaders in the industry based in Ireland.
Current Industry Challenges
While Ireland is a global leader in the pharmaceutical industry, timely access to medicines in Ireland is a concern. Periods of up to 2.5 years are the norm for full Health Technology Assessments (HTA) to be made on new medicines; much longer than in other jurisdictions such as Scotland, which is between 6 and 12 months.
Resourcing, and the availability of resources to evaluate medicines is a factor in the delayed reimbursement of medicines. As we move to an era of ever-more complex medicines, innovations, Gene & Cell Therapy (GCT) and potential cures; without regular and important conversations between Government, key stakeholders and industry leaders, Ireland is likely to be left behind on the global stage, as will patients. A robust system is needed to ensure the cost effectiveness of new innovations are affordable to both the state and the consumers.
The panel of experts also highlighted the challenges facing the industry including talent retention and building a workforce for the future of pharma in Ireland, including tackling the ever-present problem of training educators to help them prepare the next generation for skillsets which may not exist yet.
Future Industry Opportunities
The panel also discussed the need for a life sciences strategy for Government, stating that 18 of the 20 biggest life sciences manufacturers in the world operate here in Ireland, and that some of these companies in the reimbursement process are finding it difficult to get their innovations to patients in reasonable timeframes. Timely patient access to medicines should be a primary goal of any Government and Health Minister, regardless of political stance or party allegiance. As of January 2023, there is no firm life sciences strategy from Government which incorporates medicines and patient access to medicines.
Panel Call to Government
1. Timely patient access
2. Commitment to development of life sciences strategy
3. Providing additional resources to evaluate and reimburse medicines quickly
4. Attract R&D and clinical trials to Ireland as a boutique destination with experience in the pharmaceutical industry
Finally, Mairéad McCaul, Managing Director of MSD Ireland Human Health, praised Guaranteed Irish, acknowledging the role the organization plays in promoting Ireland and facilitating networking opportunities for likeminded industry experts and leaders to share ideas and create new key relationships, and position Ireland as an ideal location for further pharmaceutical investment.
