Healthcare Delivery

Inequalities in access to healthcare and medicines persist across the European Union, with increasing prices of medicines and a lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical sector being key drivers of this unequal access. This issue affects countries and people within the EU, yet the problem is even worse in other parts of the world, where out-of-pocket payments cause financial hardship to patients and their relatives, threatening universal health coverage and progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical sector, in particular around research and development (R&D) costs makes it virtually impossible for national payers to come up with fair prices that reward their efforts while keeping medicines affordable. EPHA’s work contributes to equitable access to medicines and healthcare by bringing the voice of people to ensure balanced policy debates around fair pricing for medicines and a ‘fair return’ on public contributions to R&D, among other key topics.