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BEUC welcomes Commission decision on pharma group Aspen cutting cancer drug prices
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BEUC welcomes today’s European Commission decision that renders legally binding commitments by pharma company Aspen to reduce significantly the prices of certain anti-cancer drugs (by on average 73% in Europe for the next 10 years). The decision follows a Commission antitrust investigation opened in May 2017 into whether Aspen breached EU antitrust rules’ ban on dominant companies imposing unfair prices.
EU Cancer Plan rightly puts healthy diets centre stage
Press release
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Today, the European Commission has unveiled a new plan to turn the tide against cancer. Unhealthy diets as well as overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for cancer. BEUC welcomes that the EU Commission wants to help prevent cancer by making healthy food choices easier for consumers. However, it is a disappointment that some measures on ending EU-funded ads for meat have been watered down in the plan’s final version.
BEUC welcomes Commission fines on Teva and Cephalon for agreement to delay marketing of generic sleep drug
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The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) welcomes the European Commission’s decision today to fine Teva and Cephalon 30 and 30.5 million euros respectively for agreeing not to market a cheaper generic version of Cephalon's drug for sleep disorders, modafinil, in Europe for six years. The “pay for delay” agreement, which the Commission has found to violate EU antitrust rules, allowed Cephalon to charge European patients and healthcare systems higher prices for the drug in the six year period before Teva finally marketed its generic alternative.
EU unveils ambitious Pharma Strategy to make medicines affordable and available for consumers
Press release
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The EU Commission published its Pharmaceutical Strategy today, aiming to ensure patients timely access to safe and affordable treatment and to support medical innovation and pharma competitiveness. The Strategy brings momentum to effectively address medicine shortages and high prices, a long-standing issue in the EU.

Time to lift the blindfold on medicine prices

Over the past years, the exorbitant prices of new medicines have been making headlines across Europe. Before a new medicine hits a national market, there are usually price negotiations between the drug manufacturer and the national authority. However, there is currently an asymmetry of information in these talks to the disadvantage of national authorities, who must largely negotiate in the dark.

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As consumers are faced with a growing amount of information from different sources, we advocate for high quality and non-promotional information about health products.

The ageing of the population, rising healthcare costs and the economic crisis are challenging the sustainability of healthcare systems and consumers’ access to treatments.

Health scandals such as the weight-loss drug Mediator and the faulty PIP breast implants keep undermining consumers’ confidence in the safety of available health products and their oversight by the competent authorities.

  • Ensure consumers have access to high quality healthcare in all EU Member States
  • Guarantee consumers benefit from safe and innovative treatments
  • Allow consumers to make informed choices regarding their health