Sergio Dompé, the newly confirmed president of Farmindustria, addressed informal thanks to the Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who spoke at the Association's Assembly. Thanks for the attention to the sector that he represents which the Government also shows through the participation of the ministers of savulte and economic development, Livia Turco and Pier Luigi Bersani. And to them Dompé was able to present a balance sheet with undoubted strengths: a very high capacity to export (9.3 billion euros in 2006, a figure higher than the revenue from relations with the public health system), a strong contribution to employment, both directly and through related industries (73,000 pharmaceutical employees and 55,000 those of suppliers), with 90% of diplomas and graduates. Lastly, a sector which guarantees the Treasury 1.6 billion euros in taxes and other charges but which, and this is where the sore points begin, can present a net profit of around one billion. A figure which, said Dompé, "demonstrates that an absurd and punitive tax burden weighs on companies, which suffocates them and which they can no longer live with".
So far a relief, associated with that on the high costs of services such as energy or transport, shared by Confindustria as a whole. The specificity of the sector, however, is all in that reference to the "prices of medicines cut by 18 provisions from the 2001 Budget to today". And it's not just about cuts, the whole regulatory framework has gradually changed. It could be added that this concerned the entire pharmaceutical sector, not just research and production: facts such as the heavy use of direct distribution, the renegotiation of margins and more have, perhaps less conspicuously, also changed the world of distribution and pharmacy. Dompé recalled that “the fall in approved pharmaceutical expenditure in the first part of 2007 has already canceled the weak growth of the five-year period 2001-2006 (1 % per year, half the inflation rate) while the other items of public health expenditure increased in the same period by 41.2%. At this point” continued Dompé “it is worth remembering that the cuts established by the 2007 Finance Law on all health care have an impact of 50% on pharmaceutical care alone, which represents 16% of expenditure”.
The industrialists' request specifies: "We ask Prime Minister Prodi to correct the effects of the cuts in the budget law on drug companies". "We are pleased - said Dompè addressing the premier present at the Assembly - that he is making an effort, as he recently declared, to give a picture of certainty by acting on prices, rewarding innovation and promoting intensive research, helping clinical trials, by networking public and private companies". “An approach – said the president of Farmindustria – which can allow a 'U' turn to regain the role we had in the productive and life sciences sector”. But having said this, a different climate has been noted between the drug industry and the Government compared to the more contrasted relations with other production sectors. On the other hand, it is no secret that economic analysts judge energy, communications and health as the three strategic sectors.
Even the tone of the Prime Minister's speech was clear “Budget policies must not alter the economic-financial prospects of companies. The rules of the game must be clear and certain, otherwise it is difficult to do business, plan investments and exploit the potential that the market offers" said Prodi and, quoting the inter-ministerial table on pharmaceuticals, foreshadows a relaunch of the set
So far a relief, associated with that on the high costs of services such as energy or transport, shared by Confindustria as a whole. The specificity of the sector, however, is all in that reference to the "prices of medicines cut by 18 provisions from the 2001 Budget to today". And it's not just about cuts, the whole regulatory framework has gradually changed. It could be added that this concerned the entire pharmaceutical sector, not just research and production: facts such as the heavy use of direct distribution, the renegotiation of margins and more have, perhaps less conspicuously, also changed the world of distribution and pharmacy. Dompé recalled that “the fall in approved pharmaceutical expenditure in the first part of 2007 has already canceled the weak growth of the five-year period 2001-2006 (1 % per year, half the inflation rate) while the other items of public health expenditure increased in the same period by 41.2%. At this point” continued Dompé “it is worth remembering that the cuts established by the 2007 Finance Law on all health care have an impact of 50% on pharmaceutical care alone, which represents 16% of expenditure”.
The industrialists' request specifies: "We ask Prime Minister Prodi to correct the effects of the cuts in the budget law on drug companies". "We are pleased - said Dompè addressing the premier present at the Assembly - that he is making an effort, as he recently declared, to give a picture of certainty by acting on prices, rewarding innovation and promoting intensive research, helping clinical trials, by networking public and private companies". “An approach – said the president of Farmindustria – which can allow a 'U' turn to regain the role we had in the productive and life sciences sector”. But having said this, a different climate has been noted between the drug industry and the Government compared to the more contrasted relations with other production sectors. On the other hand, it is no secret that economic analysts judge energy, communications and health as the three strategic sectors.
Even the tone of the Prime Minister's speech was clear “Budget policies must not alter the economic-financial prospects of companies. The rules of the game must be clear and certain, otherwise it is difficult to do business, plan investments and exploit the potential that the market offers" said Prodi and, quoting the inter-ministerial table on pharmaceuticals, foreshadows a relaunch of the set
