The pharmaceutical industry has significant added value, but Europe could easily fall behind

Hungary ranks poorly in international comparison: 32 percent more people die from cancer in Hungary than the EU average, according to OECD data. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, while prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and alcohol consumption are serious problems for the health of Hungarians, which must also be addressed at the public health level. In the case of breast cancer, a positive change is that a new financing protocol will be included in the system – this was revealed at a background discussion organized by the Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (AIPM) on the occasion of World Cancer Day.

Screening programs play a particularly important role in the fight against cancer, and Hungary is lagging behind in this area compared to other EU member states, although early diagnosis can help improve statistics and reduce mortality rates. Increasing participation in screenings is a matter of general social interest, which requires cooperation between civil society, government and the pharmaceutical industry.

The event also discussed the most important events affecting the pharmaceutical industry in recent times, including Dr. Katalin Szalóki, Director of AIPM, highlighted that three Council conclusions on health issues were adopted during the Hungarian EU Presidency. Thus, conclusions were adopted in the areas of the protection of non-smokers, transplantation and cardiovascular diseases. The latter is of particular importance because cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Europe and in our country. In addition, significant negotiations were also held regarding the pharmaceutical package, which will be decisive for the next 20 years.
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