There are drugs produced in Belgium on one side of the street that are not available to patients on the other side of the street, say pharma industry leaders
Belgium ranks among the European leaders in pharmaceutical research, patents, exports and jobs. Yet only half of the innovative medicines approved at the European level between 2021 and 2024 are available to Belgian patients, and those that do arrive take on average a year and a half.
That paradox dominated a recent marathon hearing in the Belgian Chamber’s Health Committee, where MPs questioned the health insurance agency INAMI-RIZIV, doctors, patient organisations and industry federation pharma.be on the price of medicines, in a debate triggered by the public controversy over the cancer immunotherapy Keytruda.
“There are drugs produced in Belgium on one side of the street, but not available to patients on the other side of the street. We can’t explain that, can we?” Pharma.be chief economist Geert Steurs told the committee.
16th in Europe
