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The Nordics Should Collaborate in the Life Science Sector
Access times to medicines vary greatly between European countries, and delays in oncology drugs in particular are increasing. This was the message from Niilo Färkkilä, Amgen’s General Manager for Finland and the Baltics, in his address at Medaffcon’s EMMA event. He also reminded that medicines are a matter of security – something that must not be forgotten in the current global situation.
Decisions based on Health Technology Assessment (HTA) define when and under what conditions new medicines become available to patients in different countries. According to Färkkilä, the functionality of this system varies significantly across Europe.
“Access times to medicines differ greatly between countries. Delays in cancer medicines are particularly increasing. Since 2020, less than half of approved medicines have become available in the Nordics. Rare disease medicines consistently underperform in terms of availability,” Färkkilä says.
A Weak Situation Challenges the Nordics to Develop New Solutions Together
Färkkilä stresses that the situation calls on the Nordic countries to develop new solutions together. This is essential, as timely adoption of new treatments improves patient outcomes and attracts investments to the region. The real-world impact of life science innovations can only be verified if they reach the market.
Flexible market access models, such as data-driven pricing and payment schemes, enable the adoption of new therapies without overburdening healthcare budgets.
“Nordic cooperation increases scalability, enlarges sample sizes, and improves cost efficiency. At the same time, it strengthens the region’s international competitiveness,” Färkkilä summarises.
The Nordic countries can create an environment where new treatments reach patients faster, where healthcare sustainability is reinforced, and where innovation-driven growth boosts the economy. This requires close collaboration both between countries and across the public and private sectors.
“In Finland, it is of paramount importance to simplify the process of economic evaluation of medicines. In line with the government programme, the direction must be towards a single actor. The current evaluation process for outpatient medicines is a good starting point,” Färkkilä states.
Life Science as a Global Driver of Growth and Competitiveness
Färkkilä points out that life science has become a global engine of growth and competitiveness. Demand for innovative medicines and therapies is increasing as populations age and chronic diseases rise. Healthcare systems must improve efficiency to treat growing patient volumes both effectively and cost-efficiently.
Unique strengths of the Nordic environment include high levels of education, digitalisation, and extensive opportunities to leverage real-world data. The life science sector drives sustainable economic growth and attracts international investment.
Strengthening innovation capacity is a key part of Europe’s and the Nordics’ independence and security.
“This is extremely important to remember in the current situation. Medicines must be included in NATO funding,” Färkkilä emphasises.
Medaffcon’s annual EMMA event was held on September 10th at the Espoo Museum of Modern Art – and for the first time also in Stockholm. Since 2016, EMMA has brought together experts and decision-makers to explore timely themes in healthcare, market access, data-driven decision-making and more.
