As EU governments engage in critical negotiations on the revision of the EU Pharmaceutical Package, the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL), the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), and the International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies (AIM) are calling on Member States to ensure that access to affordable, safe, and effective medicines remains at the heart of the reform.

High prices of innovative medicines continue to limit access for many patients across Europe. This undermines both equity and the sustainability of national healthcare systems. The organisations urge EU governments to adopt reforms that ensure medicine policies are patient-centred and demand-driven, rather than profit-driven. Specifically, the statement outlines three key recommendations:

1. Reduce the baseline regulatory data protection (RDP) period from the current 8 years to enable earlier market entry of generics and biosimilars—potentially saving European health systems €1.13 billion annually.
2. Introduce a modulated incentive system with additional RDP periods capped at 8 years, rewarding pharmaceutical innovation that delivers high societal and healthcare value.
3. Promote competition and equal access to improve availability and affordability of medicines across all EU countries, thereby reducing territorial disparities.

“Incentives must be carefully designed to serve public health, not block it. We call on EU policy makers to ensure the Pharma Package truly delivers for patients — by promoting timely access to affordable, effective medicines and safeguarding the sustainability of our health systems”, stated Loek Caubo, President of the International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies (AIM).

Click here to read the joint statement signed by the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL), the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), and the International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies (AIM).