Highly trained economists with extensive experience of working in both the private and public sectors
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Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals

Healthcare is literally of vital importance, and requires understanding of ethical and social as well as financial issues; yet healthcare is in great need of sensible economic policies to achieve value for money.  This has always been an area of special interest to Europe Economics.

Types of Study

Our studies have ranged from large-scale empirical research into how policies are working, to short explanations of some fundamental issues; and from published reports to expert court testimony.

The areas studied have included mainstream healthcare services, pharmaceuticals, and social services allied to healthcare.  Some examples of the issues on which we have advised are:

  • ways of reducing the risk of counterfeit medicines infiltrating the supply chain;
  • how to improve the flow of information to patients; 
  • how competition works in healthcare markets across the EU;
  • the efficiency and competition law implications of pharmaceutical distribution systems;
  • optimal systems of regulation in healthcare and social care;
  • the need for better training of some social workers;
  • revalidation of medical qualifications;
  • critiquing the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS), including the rates of return to be assumed in setting price limits;
  • why patients in some countries have to wait for new medicines long after they are approved as safe and efficacious;
  • damages resulting from an alleged cartel;
  • parallel trade;
  • efficient distribution systems; and
  • the benefits of differential pricing.

Clients

Our clients are both public sector policy-making organisations, and private sector companies and trade associations.  They have included the UK Department of Health, the Portuguese pharmaceuticals regulator, the European Commission (DG Enterprise), the General Chiropractic Council, the General Optical Council, Ranbaxy, EFPIA, Merck, Pfizer, GSK, AstraZeneca and other leading manufacturers.

Experts

Our in-house team in this field includes:  Dermot Glynn, Andrew Lilico, Stephen Topping, Iona McCall, Ross Dawkins and Deborah Kelly.

Primary contacts: Dermot Glynn, Deborah Kelly.