By our staff reporter
The Access to Medicine Foundation has released its 2024 Access to Medicine Index, highlighting both advancements and ongoing challenges in improving access to essential healthcare products for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The ninth iteration of the Index finds that while some pharmaceutical companies are making strides in expanding access, significant gaps remain, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.
Despite modest progress, the report emphasizes that many essential medicines and healthcare products are still out of reach for billions living in LMICs. Jayasree K. Iyer, CEO of the Access to Medicine Foundation, noted that the pharmaceutical industry’s efforts have not kept pace with the growing healthcare needs in these regions. “Until more is done, many lifesaving treatments will remain inaccessible,” she stated.
The Index evaluates 20 leading pharmaceutical companies based on their performance across three key areas: Governance of Access, Research & Development (R&D), and Product Delivery. Notably, Novartis has emerged as the top performer for the first time, closely followed by GSK. Both companies have demonstrated strong commitments to improving access to medicines, yet the overall performance of the industry has stagnated since the previous Index.
Key findings from the report indicate that while companies are taking steps to address access issues in low-income countries, many patients remain excluded from clinical trials, limiting their access to new treatments. Furthermore, efforts to enhance local availability of medicines through voluntary licensing and technology transfers have been inadequate.
The report also highlights a concerning trend: a decrease in priority R&D projects aimed at diseases that disproportionately affect LMICs. The number of projects in the pipeline has dropped significantly, raising concerns about the industry’s commitment to addressing critical health challenges such as malaria and tuberculosis.
The Index underscores the urgent need for pharmaceutical companies to recommit to equitable access strategies. Recommendations include increasing transparency in reporting patient reach and expanding research efforts to include more diverse populations in clinical trials. The report calls for a renewed focus on scaling up global availability of key essential medicines through innovative licensing agreements and technology transfers.
As global health inequities persist, the Access to Medicine Index serves as a crucial tool for tracking progress and identifying areas where immediate action is needed. By holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for their commitments to access and affordability, stakeholders hope to foster a more equitable healthcare landscape that ensures all individuals can receive the treatments they need.
