CONFERENCE REPORT: On October 21^st, an international group of experts was invited to the Royal College of Physicians in London to discuss how new clinical regulatory pathways, sources of evidence, and evolving data on real world patients can be used both to expedite the development of drugs and improve their quality and access. Broadly called “MAPPs” (Medicines Adaptive Pathways to Patients), the goal is to speed patient access to needed therapies while increasing the productivity of industry R&D spending.

GASTEIN, AUSTRIA, 1 October 2014 – Medicines developed in clinical trials under controlled circumstances may perform differently in patients in the real world. To a large extent this is because clinical trial protocols exclude relevant groups, for example, the over 60s, those taking other drugs, people with co-morbidities.

Patients can bring unique insights to the medicines approval process. But how can regulators use patient preferences to inform decisions on innovative medicines?

While Europe is focused on large-scale national and regional health IT projects, the mobile health apps market of the US is a catch-as-catch-can of Angry Birds disruptive innovation.

Austerity cuts have put Europe’s health systems under severe pressure, increasing health inequalities and threatening sustainability in the future. Now, European governments and the European Union (EU) need to take immediate action to prevent further damage.

With health care under pressure from many angles, the key issue is to ensure sustainability of health systems in the face of these challenges. Rational application of big data has an important role to play.

On 2 December, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) hosted a webinar on the implementation of industry’s Principles on clinical trial data sharing.

Sustainable Health Systems for Inclusive Growth in Europe   Conference Report Austerity cuts have put Europe’s health systems under severe pressure, increasing health inequalities and threatening sustainability in the future. Now, European governments and the European Union (EU) need to take immediate action to prevent further damage. The inspiration for the Vilnius Declaration, agreed at [...]