[09/11/2009]
Pharma Industry Finland: Fimea plays an important role for the development of the entire health care sector
Starting its work as of the beginning of November, the Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea plays an important role for the entire health care sector. Besides the pharmaceutical regulation tasks, Fimea is also responsible for new research and development functions which are the object of many expectations.
The new research and development functions Fimea is charged with expand the agency’s operations from mere medicines regulation work towards pharmacotherapy development and promotion of pharmacovigilance and safety of medication. In practice, this means that Fimea must increasingly integrate its pharmaceutical competence into the health care service system. PIF expects that Fimea promotes this objective actively and in concrete terms.
PIF has great expectations of Fimea’s new responsibility to compare the health benefits obtained from new medicines in patient use with the respective costs incurred by society. This is an important task for the rapid introduction of new medicines that are beneficial for the patients and the health care system.
In order to succeed in its new functions, Fimea must actively collaborate with its stakeholders. Indeed, PIF hopes that Fimea engages in an active dialogue and collaborates systematically with all health care and pharmaceutical actors for the development of the pharmaceutical sector. Collaboration also calls for an open and transparent administrative culture whereby issues can be raised and discussed already during their preparation.
Efficient medicines supply administration is vital from the pharmaceutical industry's perspective. We expect the new agency to provided added value also in terms of smooth and appropriate administrative services in a manner that does not interfere with the availability of medicines and the exercise of the business by the pharmaceutical actors.
Moreover, we also expect Fimea to both participate in European-level medicines regulation work with determination and to follow the development of the pharmaceutical branch in Europe. Finland is a part of the joint regulation network constituted by the EU member states, and a successful regulation function provides Finland with prestige and influence. The European influence can also be promoted in research. Meeting the best international standards, the evaluation of the health benefits and costs of pharmaceuticals could become, in time, a Finnish export product within the European research community.
Suvi-Anne Siimes, Director General of PIF gave a welcome address at the Fimea inauguration ceremonies on 2 November 2009.
Further information:
Suvi-Anne Siimes, General Director, tel. +358 9 6150 4900.
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