Responsible Industry

All modern industries should recognise their impact on society, not just through the use of their products, but more widely. The term “Corporate Social Responsibility” (CSR) is not a “nice to have” but rather is part and parcel of any 21st century industry’s  licence to operate.   The pharmaceutical industry is working towards being the first sector to develop a CSR policy under the initiative led by Commissioner Antonio Tajani.

The industry’s primary obligation is to ensure that the medicines it produces benefit society. Our products can have a critical impact on individual well-being and for that reason we should ensure that our relationships with those who prescribe, dispense and use our medicines are conducted to the highest standards. The industry is actively engaged in addressing the issues of perceived conflict of interest and lack of transparency in its relationships with key stakeholders such as the medical community, payers, regulators, patient groups and governments.  As part of the work led by Commissioner Tajani, a new charter is being developed setting out the key principles, which should guide the industry when dealing with these key stakeholders.  Collaboration with physicians is an example of crucial interaction in the innovation process and must be protected by excluding unnecessary non-scientific activities.

Detailed rules for the promotion of medicines and interactions with healthcare professionals, as well as patient organisations, are laid down in our codes of conduct that are binding for EFPIA members. Practical measures that demonstrate the industry’s commitment to ethical conduct and transparency, include the industry’s initiative of limiting medicinal samples. During 2011, EFPIA member associations have integrated this new standard into their national codes of conduct. In order to give additional guidance to members, the industry has developed the e4ethics platform that provides for pre-assessment of multinational events in Europe.

Part of building trust, is being as open as possible with data. The industry therefore supports the 2011 launch of the EU clinical trials register. This gives all EU citizens access to information on the thousands of authorised clinical trials that are underway in the EU.  The industry welcomes all moves to remove perceived secrecy and towards data transparency, as long as legitimate trade secrets and data privacy are protected. We are also concerned that data is not just available but is also meaningful.

The improved governance of medicines is a shared interest. This includes ensuring that falsified, fake or substandard medicines are removed from the supply chain. In order to comply with the new EU legislation and enhance patient safety, an initiative (the European Stakeholder Modal – ESM) has been developed by EFPIA in collaboration with key supply chain partners representing pharmacists (PGEU), wholesalers (GIRP), and parallel distributors (EAEPC) at EU level.  In some cases, governance involves improving understanding. This is the case in relation to the environment. The pharmaceutical Industry is one of the most regulated industries across all its activities and these regulations apply to the manufacturing and release of medicines. Environmental risk assessments are also required for marketing approval of all medicines. However, there are aspects of the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals about which more could be learned. We are committed to supporting that process as part of our new environmental strategy.

As part of its commitment to global health, the pharmaceutical industry is working on meeting unmet medical needs in various ways. One approach which is increasingly employed, is public private partnerships (PPPs) in order to tackle communicable, and increasingly, non-communicable diseases in the developing world.