The first Drug Security Forum, which focuses on a wide range of issues concerning drug supply and regulation of the pharmaceutical industry, was held on the opening day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The plenary session ‘Drug Security at the Heart of a Robust Healthcare System’ was attended by: Russian Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, World Health Organization Regional Director for Europe Hans Henri P. Kluge, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Henrietta Fore, Russian Federal Medical-Biological Agency Director Veronika Skvortsova, Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Circulation of Medicines and Development of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Industry of the State Duma’s Health Protection Committee Alexander Petrov, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations Executive Director for International Affairs Koen Berden, and Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare Director Alla Samoylova. The meeting was moderated by Doctor TV Channel Editor-in-Chief and Russia 24 Anchor Evelina Zakamskaya.
Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko opened the plenary session by expressing gratitude to all pharmaceutical industry workers. He noted that the industry has taken a tremendous leap forward over this past, difficult year: “The pandemic was a test for the pharmaceutical industry in all countries. All over the world, demand has increased for the same drugs and medical products. The previously civilized market has suddenly become very feverish. Our country, as a country with the potential to deploy additional production facilities, had to ensure the country’s drug security in the shortest possible time, and that’s what we did. Our advantage was the availability of scientific developments based on which we were the first in the world to roll out a vaccine. And this experience should be taken into account for the future, as part of the Pharma-2030 Strategy. Pharmaceutical companies must continue research and development, while the state must provide comprehensive support for such activities.”
The business programme of the Drug Security Forum included 12 panel sessions on such issues as improving the procurement system of medicines, prospects for the development of the Russian and global pharmaceutical market, introducing digital technologies in medicine, and increasing the availability of medicines.
The forum was held with the support of the Russian Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and the Subcommittee on the Circulation of Medicines and Development of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Industry of the State Duma’s Health Protection Committee.
The business programme partners of the Drug Security Forum are GlaxoSmithKline Trading, Sanofi Russia, Amgen, and the Pharmasintez Group. The forum partners are AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Teva, the EAEU Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, and Petrovax Pharm. The general information partner is Pharmaceutical Bulletin. The media partners are Doctor Television Channel, RBK, Remedium Group, Healthcare of Russia, Medvestnik, Russian Doctor Publishing House, GxP News, and Stopcoronavirus.rf.
