EFPIA WAIT indicator survey 2022 launches

EFPIA has published its 2022 WAIT Indicator Survey which records the time it takes to take a new medicine from regulatory licencing to reimbursement in different European countries.

Commenting on the report, David Watson, Executive Director Patient Access, Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, said:

“We are aware that UK regulators, the NHS and industry have been working hard to ensure that new medicines move swiftly from regulatory authorisation to availability to NHS patients. Despite this success, we think the UK can and should strive to do even better, especially against our Western European peers – which provide the best yardstick by which to judge our performance.

“While the UK’s record on new medicine availability is positive, all too often, availability does not mean real-world access to NHS treatment. Authorisations by NICE are often for much smaller patient populations than permitted in other European countries. We also know that the uptake rate for many treatments can be slow and highly variable between regions and socioeconomic groups. While useful, this report also looks only at new medicines, and this is not the only form of innovation patients are waiting for. New indications of existing medicine can also have a significant impact on patient outcomes, and evidence increasingly shows delays or new treatments not being launched at all.

“Finally, the data in this report does not capture the recent huge increase in UK medicine rebate rates – up from around 5% to 26.5% in just two years. Nor does it capture the current challenges and delays at the MHRA. We are already seeing a slowdown in new treatment launches, with increasing evidence that the UK is being deprioritised as an early launch market for innovative medicines. Working with the whole industry, we have developed and published a positive and pragmatic vision to address these challenges through a new Voluntary Scheme that supports value for the NHS and economic growth while also continuing to improve UK access and uptake of innovative medicines.”