On September 16, 2021, Dr Milka Sokolović, Director General of EPHA delivered a speech at the 71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, where she stressed the need for better access to effective, innovative and expensive drugs and how the Oslo Medicines Initiative is paving the way for rebalancing pharmaceutical systems in the face of ever higher prices for drugs and vaccines.

Undeniably, COVID19 illustrates and underscores the urgent need to further increase transparency in pharmaceuticals and strengthen collaboration between member states. We’ve already seen examples of the benefits of increased transparency: for example, the very experience of negotiating an EU-wide price for COVID-19 vaccines creates new momentum for joint purchases , which by design results in more price transparency than confidential discounts. . It should be noted, however, that the push for transparency must go well beyond price transparency. Transparency of costs, as well as funding to support research and development of health products is also crucial.

In addition, given the complexity of the pharmaceutical industry, it has established three priorities for pharmaceutical policies:

• first, rapid and affordable access to safe and effective drugs;
• second, meaningful, needs-driven innovation focused on the patient rather than the drug, through commensurate incentives and rewards, and
• third, a sustainable health system, a pillar of social equity.