German pharma seeks r&d tax incentives and direct communication to patients

Germany's Pharmaceutical Industry Association (Bundesverband der Pharmazeutischen Industrie, BPI) has called for tax incentives linked to research and development spend and legal changes that would allow manufacturers to inform patients about prescription medicines.

During the association's annual meeting in Berlin, chairman Bernd Wegener said that the BPI backed a proposal made last year by the German industrialists' association (Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie, BDI) to grant a tax exemption corresponding to 10% of a company's r&d expenditure. The proposal is not limited to the pharmaceutical industry.

The BPI is also asking for changes to enable pharmaceutical companies to provide information on prescription medicines directly to patients. The European Commission is due to present in October a directive proposal on information to patients.

The association asked for a change in the current law to allow pharmaceutical producers to communicate study results in an appropriate form to patients. BPI wants an amendment of the medicines advertisement law (Heilmittelwerbegesetz) in order to seperate scientific information from advertisement.

The EU industry commissioner, Guenter Verheugen, who gave a speech at the BPI meeting, said that his proposal on information to patients will be part of a "pharma package", which will also include proposals on pharmacovigilance and on measures to combat counterfeit medicines. But he stressed that the ban on advertising for prescription medicines would remain.

At the AGM Wegener lashed out at several measures implemented by the German government disadvantaging the pharmaceutical industry, especially medium-sized companies.

He took the German government to task on several topics, including the "overregulated pharmaceutical market" and the "unacceptable legal insecurity" linked to discount price agreements (Rabattvertraege).

Wegener was re-elected as BPI's chairman for three more years.