Long gone is the time when there was a discussion about the credibility and efficacy of generic drugs in Portugal. Facing an unknown reality, public opinion oscillated between the advantages for the family economy and the doubt about the rigor of treatments. Would they have the same effect? Would that be the right choice?
It's been two decades; the road has been long. A retrospective look at this issue shows that we are not at the same point; the country has evolved. The achievements recorded give us the confidence to meet future challenges. Doubts have dissipated.
The questions are now other.
Twenty years ago, Portugal had no generic drugs, it had copies, which led to much higher expenses. It was necessary to lay the foundations and conditions for the definitive entry of generics into our market. A difficult construction, which required courage and commitment, both from the political sphere and from the business sphere. However, the seeds sown at this time bear fruit today, and from being virtually non-existent, generic drugs now represent more half of the medicines dispensed in pharmacies, according to data from Infarmed.
An exponential growth in such a short period of time is evidence of the advantages that we all, directly or indirectly, benefit from. We are talking about the democratization of access to medicines and health care by the weakest fringes of society, which find themselves shut off from treatments that are inaccessible to their economic power.
Health gains alone are a factor in social progress.
But there's more. The State also sees its spending on medicines decrease. And the economy also gains, with the pharmaceutical industry coming out revitalized. Therefore, everyone wins.
Is everything done? In a country such as ours, where family health expenses, more specifically what is spent on medicines, are among the highest in Europe, there is still a long way to go. The obstacles are many, but the achievements we can reach are greater and that should be the focus.
If the positive effects of generic drugs in a developed country are evident, imagine what can be done for disadvantaged populations on continents such as Africa or Asia. The gains are global, and a pandemic like the one we're going through has shown us that the health of each one is in everyone's interest.
Having pointed out the need, Portugal and its pharmaceutical industry are in a position to deal the cards in this matter.
The early years of this millennium show that the country has the knowledge and capacity to keep up with the needs of a globalized market. We know, however, that it is by joining hands and through the sharing of knowledge that we promote health and development. For this, it is necessary to invest in innovation.
It is necessary to work collaboratively; cooperation between the State and enterprises is crucial, but integration into networks and channels of cooperation on a global scale is also needed.
Strategic vision, trust and focus on needs are fundamental, without ever losing the standard of humility. Working together, with the courage to chart the path and with a spirit of entrepreneurship. Being "accomplices" to each other. Being creative.
These were the ingredients that allowed Bluepharma to project Portugal in the world, enhancing the sector of generics, which will certainly continue to be part of its recipe for the future. A future where science and scientific globalization play a decisive role for the common good.