A new report from the Access to Medicine Foundation takes a groundbreaking look at how some of the largest pharmaceutical companies are addressing patient access globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The report examines current efforts to measure and report patient reach, revealing both the progress made and the areas where more work is needed to transform access commitments into meaningful change for underserved populations.
Released ahead of the 2024 Access to Medicine Index, the report focuses on the 20 pharmaceutical companies that will be ranked in the Index, set to be published in November. The report highlights the varying strategies companies are using to measure how effectively they reach patients with essential medicines in LMICs. It identifies 42 different approaches, with companies like AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Roche refining their measurement frameworks to move beyond basic sales tracking, providing a clearer picture of patient reach.
Jayasree Iyer, CEO of the Access to Medicine Foundation, said: “We have seen that the pharmaceutical industry is making ambitious commitments to reach more patients worldwide. However, this report reveals that there is still much work to be done in achieving meaningful impact and calls for urgent steps to ensure lifesaving products reach every patient, everywhere.”
Despite representing 80% of the world’s population, patients in LMICs continue to face significant barriers in accessing healthcare products. The demand for these products in underserved regions is rising, yet availability is often limited due to production being concentrated among a few companies or single suppliers. As these companies set ambitious goals to reach more patients in LMICs, the report reveals that these goals must be made more precise and actionable to achieve real impact.
The report finds that 19 of the 20 companies evaluated are actively using methods to track the number of patients they reach, with AbbVie being the only exception. However, there is no industry-wide consensus on how to measure patient reach, resulting in a wide range of approaches. Only six companies, including Astellas, AstraZeneca, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, and one undisclosed company, reported using patient reach methods across all countries where they operate, both within and beyond the scope of the Index.
Patient reach – commitments lack clarity
While many companies have set public commitments to expand patient reach, particularly in LMICs, the report reveals that some of these commitments lack clarity or measurable targets. For example, it states that the three leading insulin manufacturers—Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi—control over 90% of the global insulin market but collectively address only 1% of the diabetes cases in the 113 LMICs examined. This underscores the gap between global needs and current access efforts, as 350 million diabetes cases remain underserved out of 525 million globally, according to 2021 data from the Global Burden of Disease study.
The Foundation’s analysis highlights the need for pharmaceutical companies to move beyond general commitments and take concrete steps to strengthen their patient reach efforts. “Companies must prioritise patient reach or risk falling short in addressing health inequity,” said Claudia Martínez, head of research at the Access to Medicine Foundation.
“Our findings lay out a clear path for pharma companies to do this, emphasising how they can embed equitable access within their business operations.”
The report’s findings are drawn from proprietary data submitted by the companies as part of the 2024 Access to Medicine Index methodology, alongside public data sources and expert consultations. The Access to Medicine Foundation has held roundtable discussions with pharmaceutical companies to explore patient reach, and these conversations have informed the report’s recommendations.
As companies continue to develop new strategies to measure and expand patient reach, the report emphasizes the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing. By learning from one another and refining their approaches, pharmaceutical companies can better address health inequities and ensure that lifesaving medicines reach the patients who need them most. This will require not only improving how patient reach is measured but also translating these measurements into actions such as product registration, affordable pricing, and sustainable supply chains.
Ultimately, the report calls for the pharmaceutical industry to embed patient reach at the core of its operations. As Iyer concludes, “This report reveals that while progress has been made, there is still a long way to go to ensure equitable access to essential medicines for everyone, everywhere.”
