In order to make Austria a hotspot for clinical trials, political will and joint efforts from the responsible bodies and actors involved are necessary.
If we want to become a hotspot for clinical research, it would be helpful if politicians supported professionalization at research centers and more clearly recognized the added value of clinical trials. In addition to early access to innovative therapies, clinical research demonstrably generates great overall economic value
Mag. Alexander Herzog, Secretary General of PHARMIG
Vienna (OTS) – Clinical research is crucial for the development of new medicines and brings great benefits to health, society and the economy. But in Austria there is a high level of bureaucracy and separate responsibilities in the fragmented research infrastructure. This makes it more difficult to carry out clinical trials, which are a very central part of drug development. As a result, many patients miss out on early access to new medicines. As a result, the location and the healthcare system lose valuable know-how.
“Developing and testing medicines is a complex process in which many actors are involved. These include, for example, research institutes, specialized hospital centers, specialist staff and pharmaceutical companies. Apart from this interaction, the complexity is increased by the fact that there are separate responsibilities at the federal and state levels when it comes to creating suitable study conditions and conducting clinical trials. In order to strengthen Austria’s position as a study location, a common political will and the active cooperation of all parties involved are crucial. The aim must be to support clinical research through better networking, closer collaboration and coordinated processes at the site, instead of unnecessarily complicating it,” explains Alexander Herzog, Secretary General of PHARMIG, on the occasion of World Clinical Research Day on May 20, 2024.
At the EU level, many processes have already been standardized, i.e. harmonized. This happened as part of the legal introduction of the so-called “EU Clinical Trials Regulation” (CTR). In Austria, however, inconsistent guidelines and processes continue to prevent faster and clearer contract processing, and there is still a lack of more uniform and transparent cost catalogs. “This would be important so that research-based pharmaceutical companies have a clear insight into the general conditions at the location. Because they need this when it comes to where they will hold their drug studies,” explains Herzog.
In addition, there is room for improvement in Austria in terms of the number of qualified study personnel, as well as in the number of study participants and digital measures to specifically use the data generated in clinical studies. Another problem is the lack of clarity in the definition and application in data protection matters. “If we want to become a hotspot for clinical research, it would be helpful if politicians supported professionalization at research centers and more clearly recognized the added value of clinical trials. In addition to early access to innovative therapies, clinical research demonstrably generates great overall economic value
“says Herzog, referring to the one presented in 2020 Study by the Institute for Pharmaeconomic Research (IPF) and PHARMIG, which shows that industry research contracts contribute a total of 144.2 million euros to added value annually.
Herzog advocates looking to those progressive countries where governments, ministries and companies work hand in hand to promote clinical research. One example of this is Belgium, which has been actively promoting the implementation of early phases of drug trials for several years. “This approach makes it possible to gain valuable knowledge at an early stage and to implement subsequent projects more easily. A similar strategy could also be beneficial for Austria. Because where therapies are tested in appropriate clinical trials, they are usually available first,” says Herzog.
About PHARMIG: PHARMIG is the voluntary interest group of the Austrian pharmaceutical industry. The association currently has around 120 members (as of May 2024), who cover a good 95 percent of the medication market. PHARMIG and its member companies stand for the best possible security of supply of medicines in the healthcare system and ensure social and medical progress through quality and innovation.
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PHARMIG – Association of the Austrian Pharmaceutical Industry
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