Romano Prodi opens the doors, thinking about how to capture not only the investments of Big Pharma: «We want to be a peaceful country that does not change the rules every month, but offers constant horizons. I want the Italy of life sciences to become an engine of development». Pierluigi Bersani indicates concrete tools such as the development of tax credits for research and development. «The horizon is a new policy that combines health protection, support for research and planned expenditure control». And Livia Turco guarantees: «The new rules on the relaunch of the pharmaceutical sector will be included in the DPEF and then in the Finance Law». An (almost) peace could break out between the government and the pharmaceutical industries.
The tests, still entirely technical in agreement, were broadcast yesterday in Rome at the Farmindustria assembly, the day after Sergio Dompé was confirmed as president. The presence, unprecedented in the history of the association, of the premier accompanied by the ministers of health and economic development, was a precise sign of the turnaround that Palazzo Chigi intends to undertake in the field of industrial policy in the sector. Of course, Prodi remarked: public finance does not leave much margin. But the desire is there and so are the programs; and there is the acknowledgment that "rough" measures were also introduced with the latest Budget on medicines; just as, Prodi went on to say, the "intolerable" difference in the prices of medicines which is often, and increasingly, recorded (with the reference price) between the Regions must be eliminated.
Now we want to change pace. But the industries, which have behind them 18 cuts in five years (16 with the center-right), are cautious. They appreciate the Government's attention, but want to understand in which direction the "table on pharmaceutical expenditure and sector regulation" that concluded its work will go. Dompé explained it: «It is our right to express ourselves with caution, we want to wait until we see that there is coherence between words and deeds». In short, credit is given to the Government, but until the facts are proven. «We believe in the future», it is no coincidence that Dompé concluded his speech with calm optimism. The rest of the sector is in midstream.
The tests, still entirely technical in agreement, were broadcast yesterday in Rome at the Farmindustria assembly, the day after Sergio Dompé was confirmed as president. The presence, unprecedented in the history of the association, of the premier accompanied by the ministers of health and economic development, was a precise sign of the turnaround that Palazzo Chigi intends to undertake in the field of industrial policy in the sector. Of course, Prodi remarked: public finance does not leave much margin. But the desire is there and so are the programs; and there is the acknowledgment that "rough" measures were also introduced with the latest Budget on medicines; just as, Prodi went on to say, the "intolerable" difference in the prices of medicines which is often, and increasingly, recorded (with the reference price) between the Regions must be eliminated.
Now we want to change pace. But the industries, which have behind them 18 cuts in five years (16 with the center-right), are cautious. They appreciate the Government's attention, but want to understand in which direction the "table on pharmaceutical expenditure and sector regulation" that concluded its work will go. Dompé explained it: «It is our right to express ourselves with caution, we want to wait until we see that there is coherence between words and deeds». In short, credit is given to the Government, but until the facts are proven. «We believe in the future», it is no coincidence that Dompé concluded his speech with calm optimism. The rest of the sector is in midstream.
And the time for decisive choices is getting closer and closer. This was explained by the president of Confindustria, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, who also appreciated the Government's attempt to reverse course: «It is unthinkable to ask one of the most fundamental areas for research to make sacrifices on the expenditure front. It's a contradiction in terms. I hope there is a trend reversal in the method and in the attention to the sector, not only from the point of view of spending. We ask to be put in the best possible conditions to do our job as entrepreneurs», concluded the president of Confindustria, which in the last year has forcefully brought the problems of pharmaceuticals to the attention of the Government in the discussions on development and innovation.
LMeanwhile, the pharmaceutical industry awaits the results of the "table". On which, even now, doubts and perplexities on the part of companies are emerging. As for the prices of "mature" products, which would be penalized compared to innovative ones. And even on generic drugs, relaunched yesterday by the Antitrust, there is no shortage of doubts: there is the risk of "sterilizing entire lines of research, it would be a mistake," said Claudio Cavazza (Sigma Tau). It has now been established that there will be two spending ceilings and that for local pharmaceuticals (in agreement gross of tickets and direct distribution) the 100% of the shelves (gross of VAT) will be paid by companies, distributors and wholesalers. However, the puzzle remains: which s
LMeanwhile, the pharmaceutical industry awaits the results of the "table". On which, even now, doubts and perplexities on the part of companies are emerging. As for the prices of "mature" products, which would be penalized compared to innovative ones. And even on generic drugs, relaunched yesterday by the Antitrust, there is no shortage of doubts: there is the risk of "sterilizing entire lines of research, it would be a mistake," said Claudio Cavazza (Sigma Tau). It has now been established that there will be two spending ceilings and that for local pharmaceuticals (in agreement gross of tickets and direct distribution) the 100% of the shelves (gross of VAT) will be paid by companies, distributors and wholesalers. However, the puzzle remains: which s
