The Lithuanian Ministry of Health and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) have announced a new Joint Working Agreement that paves the way for protecting future health and growth in Lithuania.

The agreement is a concrete step towards delivering the vision of health and sustainable growth set out in the Vilnius Declaration, which was signed during Lithuania's Presidency of the EU last year, according to EFPIA. It sets out a series of measures to safeguard future innovation and healthcare, including establishing a specific ‘Reimbursement Budget’ that will reflect and be proportionate to both gross domestic product (GDP) growth and increase in overall public health care spending.

“We are creating a sustainable health care system that is prone to demographic and economic challenges, that promptly responds to current health threats, that incorporates newest technologies and best medical practices,” said Lithuanian Minister of Health Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis. “The Ministry of Health and EFPIA working together means new treatment options for the patients, greater transparency for the healthcare industry and meaningful cooperation with innovative businesses.” 

Through partnering on a holistic life sciences strategy, EFPIA and the Lithuanian Ministry of Health hope to make Lithuania a more attractive location for life sciences investment, and to support a healthy population through the creation of more effective, efficient and sustainable health systems.

According to EFPIA Director General Richard Bergström: “Our industry has entered into a number of agreements with European governments, but the Lithuanian agreement has achieved a new progressive, gold standard in collaboration for better health outcomes. It signifies a new dawn in our industry’s partnerships, as it delivers a much more comprehensive solution to meeting the health and economic needs of citizens. I urge other nations to learn from the Lithuanian approach.”

Such collaborative efforts are part of EFPIA’s recently launched strategy, “Health and Growth: Working together for a healthy Europe,” which advocates for an integrated life sciences sector for the EU.

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The Lithuanian Ministry of Health and EFPIA have announced a new Joint Working Agreement.