The popular mantra ‘Patients first: yes we can!' is applied on many occasions – but, in regard to patients, it fits perfectly. Enabling patients to be fully informed and to have access to the best medical treatment must not be a promise for the distant future, but a reality right now. If we get things right, this will be a great leap forward.
The informed patient knows the details of diseases, treatments and where to find help far beyond surgery or pharmaceuticals. Informed patients also know, via EU-wide networks, where they can find specialists, the best treatment and fast relief. Access to and the availability of reliable information can help patients and their families out of their often inferior position, and can put them on a more equal footing with every other ‘player' in the healthcare system.
The provisions foreseen in the cross-border healthcare directive and those foreseen in the proposal on information to patients should play their part in helping to empower patients.
But even the informed patient will still depend on the most innovative pharmaceuticals and therapies. In the near future, these will be tailor-made for the respective patient, the disease and the individual's genetic make-up.
If we want to fight diseases such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and the numerous types of cancer, it has to be in our own very selfish interest to support and foster a modern and competitive pharmaceutical industry. This, in turn, would not only create new opportunities for research and education, but could serve as an economic motor that would set in motion economic growth and create jobs.
The pharmaceutical industry is vital and essential for our health. Still, parts of this industry are often exposed to criticism. They are accused of setting high prices for products only in the interest of maximising revenues. This is why the public needs to understand the high risks and immense costs involving R&D faced by the industry before a pharmaceutical product is authorised. The public needs better insight into the long price-negotiating process between the industry and national authorities so as to understand how prices are set.
Pricing, the rapid availability of medicinal products, patent and data protection, and the responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry to fight diseases in some of the poorest countries of the world often seem to be conflicting issues. Additionally, we expect the industry to help fight diseases in those countries where patients can simply not afford to buy medicinal products. Up to now, we have not always been able to deal with all those problems in a satisfactory manner.
All these challenges can be tackled. I believe that there is potential for great success if we manage to establish an EU-wide partnership based on mutual trust and respect. Respect for those who safeguard the provisions for medicines and healthcare in the member states and those that do not only strive for a competitive industry, but who also engage in fighting seemingly untreatable diseases and try to make others more bearable.
German Social Democrat MEP Dagmar Roth-Behrendt is a member of the Parliament's environment, public health and food safety committee.
