As we approach the European elections on May 26th, we join several other organizations to ask political parties to include proposals to reform the current medical R+D system. Here is the letter we sent: 28
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All of the listed organizations will continue to remind the European candidates of the importance of including the health of all people in their proposals because a lot is at stake in the upcoming parliamentary elections on May 26, 2019.
Access to healthcare is a fundamental right, whose protection is held in article 168 of the Treaty on the Function of the European Union and in article 43 of the Constitution. The legal frameworks mentioned above allows the right to health to be in effect, assuring that those who need medical services and treatment will be treated by all means necessary. In order to protect this right as we approach the elections, making commitments to public health policy, guided by the principles of universality and solidarity, are not only necessary, but should be a priority.
A health system created for the people implies access to quality care and services, as well as affordable and improved medicines and health technologies compared to the alternatives on the market, when possible. However, current set-up of the health system allows for many new medications, especially those for severe disease, to have absurd, unjustified and non-transparent price tags. The misalignment of interest concerns us, not only because it creates barriers to access, but because it is unsustainable for our current health system.
Health policies, in Spain and the rest of the European countries, increasingly need greater financial commitments, where in addition to the medications, they are able to take into account the patients demand for specialist, health professionals, equipment and adequate infrastructure. In this new period, we have the opportunity to change the course and bet on the fair balance of interests, unbiased politics and definitely a system that puts the needs of the people first. We ask you to commit, both in your electoral program and in your responsibilities as a member of the European Parliament, to promote:
- A biomedical R+D oriented towards the health necessities of the population, ensuring that the products funded by public investments are accessible, affordable and available; investments that guarantee returns for the citizens and are not only concerned with economic, but also social impact.
- A just and sustainable R+D system that explores models of open science, implements awards and funds for research that stimulates innovation, avoiding the issues with monopolies and the high prices of medical technologies, and attends to the management of biomedical knowledge.
- High standards for scientific evidence used for the authorization and commercialization of new medications in order to ensure quality, transparency and patient safety.
- Policies on the transparency of fixed prices that will allow us to recognize the real costs of and public investment in innovation.
- Fair competition between companies that allows for the equilibrium of private and public interests, and the sanction of malpractice.
As a population, we pay for the healthcare systems and have the obligation to protect it and to assure the health of the generations of today and tomorrow.
Organizations:
- Salud por Derecho (Rights to Health Foundation)
- Associación por el Acceso Justo al Medicamento (Association for Fair Access to Medication)
- No Gracias (No Thank You)
- Medicos del Mundo (Doctors of the World)
- Apoyo Positivo (Positive Support)
- Federación de Asociaciones por la Defensa de la Sanidad Pública (Federation of the Associations for Public Health Defense)
- CESIDA
- Plataforma de Afectados por la Hepatitis C (Platform for those affected by Hepatitis C)
- Sespas
