Next Wednesday, February 12, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will meet with the top executives of the leading pharmaceutical companies. In this context, Salud por Derecho has sent him a letter—copied to Mónica García, Minister of Health—in which we review the most important issues in Spanish and European pharmaceutical policy and remind him of the need to defend transparency and the public interest above the interests of the pharmaceutical industry.
This is the letter:
Dear President of the Government,
I am writing to you in the context of your upcoming meeting with the CEOs of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Spain, a meeting that coincides with the recent approval of the 2024-2028 Pharmaceutical Industry Strategy, the development of the draft bill on Medicines and Health Products, and the negotiation of European pharmaceutical legislation.
At Salud por Derecho, we congratulate the Government of Spain for its commitment to global health and for protecting the public interest in the development of pharmaceutical policies. Addressing issues such as inequalities in global access or the unsustainable growth of pharmaceutical spending requires bold public policies. While some of the Government’s initiatives are moving in this direction, we believe they can be expanded to achieve a greater impact in Spain and Europe.
We appreciate the inclusion of measures in the draft bills on the Medicines Law and the Health Technology Assessment Law that improve transparency in the pharmaceutical market. Ensuring such transparency will not only contribute to greater affordability but also strengthen accountability and democracy. For this reason, we urge you to maintain and reinforce these measures in both draft bills and incorporate them into the negotiations on European pharmaceutical legislation.
Similarly, we would like to commend the Government for its commitment to pharmaceutical research and innovation in the public interest, with initiatives such as PERTE Salud de Vanguardia, the creation of Terafront, and the Pharmaceutical Industry Strategy. To consolidate this objective, it is essential that Spanish public investment prioritizes projects that include specific plans to ensure the global accessibility and affordability of these innovations. The inclusion of these “access plans” in Spain and in the incentive policy currently under negotiation in the European Union is key to making Spain’s innovation model an international benchmark.
We trust in your commitment to transparency and the public interest and hope that you will convey these concerns in your meeting with the industry. We remain at your disposal to further elaborate on these proposals and to discuss potential progress in this regard in a meeting with your office.
Sincerely,
Vanessa López
Executive Director
Salud por Derecho Foundation
