Pharmaceutical Industry faces pressure to improve patient reach in developing countries - Report

The report, released ahead of the 2024 Access to Medicine Index, highlights both progress and significant gaps in the industry's efforts to ensure essential medicines are accessible to all.

The report reveals that while 19 out of the 20 largest pharmaceutical companies assessed are actively tracking their patient reach, there is a notable lack of standardization in measurement practices. 

The Foundation identified 42 different approaches used by companies to gauge their impact, leading to a wide range of reporting accuracy and effectiveness.

Among the companies making strides, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Roche have been noted for developing more refined frameworks to enhance the precision of their patient reach calculations. However, the absence of a unified method means that comparisons and assessments of true impact remain challenging.

Ambitious Goals with Unclear Outcomes

Many pharmaceutical companies have set ambitious goals to expand their reach in LMICs, but the report suggests that these objectives often lack specificity and actionable detail. For example, despite the major insulin manufacturers—Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi—controlling over 90% of the global market, their collective commitments address only 1% of the diabetes cases in LMICs.

Jayasree K. Iyer, CEO of the Access to Medicine Foundation, remarked, “We have seen that the pharmaceutical industry is making ambitious commitments to reach more patients worldwide. However, this report reveals that there is still much work to be done in achieving meaningful impact and calls for urgent steps to ensure lifesaving products reach every patient, everywhere.”

Gaps and Opportunities

The report also highlights significant gaps in both product availability and geographic reach. Only six companies—Astellas, AstraZeneca, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, and one reporting under a non-disclosure agreement—offer comprehensive patient reach data across all operational regions. This leaves some areas and diseases poorly represented in the data.

The Access to Medicine Foundation emphasizes that while companies are engaged in efforts to improve patient reach, there is a clear need for better-defined goals and more precise measurement strategies.

The report outlines several opportunities for companies to enhance their efforts, including improving collaboration and learning from successful practices.

Claudia Martínez, Head of Research at the Foundation, stressed the need for pharmaceutical companies to prioritize patient reach or risk failing in addressing health inequity.

“Companies must prioritise patient reach or risk falling short in addressing health inequity. Our findings lay out a clear path for pharma companies to do this, emphasising how they can embed equitable access within their business operations,” she said.

The report underscores the importance of integrating patient reach into core business practices and calls for concrete actions such as implementing affordable pricing, ensuring sustainable supply chains, and registering products in underserved regions.