Press Releases

Budapest, April 23, 2020 17:00

The innovative pharmaceutical manufacturers take their share in the fight against COVID-19, and they support all measures of the government and the relevant authorities that serve the effective response to the current epidemiological situation. In addition, in order to express their gratitude and appreciation for the hard work done by frontline healthcare professionals, the Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (AIPM), in cooperation with the Chamber of Hungarian Health Care Professionals (MESZK) – and with the contribution of Magyar Telekom and SAMSUNG Magyarország – supports the home-schooling of the children of healthcare professionals with 1,000 premium tablets and mobile Internet service.

The innovative pharmaceutical manufacturers fully support the governmental measures announced for the efficient, successful and coherent response to the current epidemiological situation, as well as the epidemiology-related activities of the relevant authorities. As research-oriented pharmaceutical manufacturers, they also use all their available resources for the joint fight against COVID-19.

Dr. Ákos Kókai-Nagy, president of the AIPM said the following regarding the specific epidemic-related steps they have taken: “T he actors of the industry do everything in their power to provide the medications necessary for all Hungarian patients in a seamless and continuous manner in spite of these challenging circumstances. We are taking an active part in the coordinated research and development of the new vaccines, diagnostic tools and therapies that could be used against COVID-19, utilizing our world-class scientific results, and providing access to our human and other resources, in order to facilitate the unparalleled scientific cooperation aiming to develop new therapies .”

“We work in close cooperation with and directly support frontline healthcare professionals and organisations. Within the framework of the newly started donation programme, the AIPM provides some useful support to attenuate the consequences of the epidemic.” – added Dr. Péter Holchacker, the director of the AIPM regarding the initiative. As the association of development-oriented pharmaceutical companies in Hungary, the AIPM appreciates and is grateful for the hard work of healthcare professionals, who perform their tasks undertaking momentous risks to ensure the safety of the population . “ They are among those whose lives are most transformed by the fight against this epidemic, while they are often also the ones who struggle the most to solve even the simplest, most down-to-earth challenges of these days, like home-schooling their children. For this reason, on behalf of the innovative pharmaceutical manufacturers, the AIPM contributes 1,000 premium tablets as well as SIM cards with 80 minutes of calls and 10 GB of data to facilitate the modern and comfortable online learning of the children of healthcare professionals, so that while their parents are working for all of us, at least they don’t have to worry about the learning of the children. ”

István Kutas, the Corporate Communications Director at Magyar Telekom added: “ From the first moment in the current epidemiological situation, Magyar Telekom has been providing services to support its clients, so we were happy to be involved in this initiative of the AIPM, as this gives us a chance to support the frontline fighters with 10 GB of mobile Internet, as well as free access to learning contents. ”

“ We cannot thank enough those who are fighting for our lives and health. We ourselves can also help by staying at home, using our smart devices to remain in constant contact with our loved ones, or for learning and working from home. It is my great pleasure that the initiative of the AIPM made it possible for 1,000 families in need to open new ways in digital learning .”, explained Balázs Kunos, Vice President of Samsung Electronics Magyar Zrt.

In order to ensure that the direct donation realised in cooperation with Magyar Telekom and SAMSUNG Magyarország reaches those who need it the most for home-schooling, the coordinated and efficient distribution of the 1,000 tablets is carried out by the Chamber of Hungarian Health Care Professionals (MESZK).

The actors of the innovative pharmaceutical industry provide substantial direct support and other donations in kind to the frontline organisations all over the world, and the member companies of the AIPM have taken their share of this endeavour in Hungary as well: Beyond the direct financial and in-kind donations amounting to some 100 million HUF, the innovative pharmaceutical manufacturers support and make it possible for their employees with a medical degree to directly participate in the healthcare activities related to the epidemic, strictly on a voluntary basis .

About the Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (AIPM)
The Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (AIPM) was founded in 1992 and consists of 26 research and development oriented pharmaceutical companies in Hungary, which account for more than 50 percent of the domestic trade in medicines, and the activities of these member companies contribute nearly 1 percent of the GDP. Its member companies are major investors in the economy and healthcare via the research and clinical trials conducted in Hungary. As a member of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), one of the most important objectives of the AIPM is to ensure access to medical solutions based on modern discoveries for as many Hungarians as possible. ( www.aipm.hu)

About innovative medicines and innovative pharmaceutical manufacturers
Innovative or originator medicines incorporating the latest active ingredients to treat specific diseases represent the most effective therapies based on our current level of knowledge. Innovative pharmaceutical manufacturers offer effective medicinal products developed using the most advanced medical equipment for the treatment of diseases that used to be considered incurable. As a result of their work in pharmaceutical development, numerous diseases (such as cardiovascular and oncological diseases or AIDS) have become curable or more efficiently treatable in the past 30–40 years. Today, the expenses related to the development of an innovative medicine exceed two billion euros and the process itself takes at least 10 years. A significant number of diseases that are important from the aspect of public health cannot be treated efficiently and cost-effectively without innovative medicines.
Most of the clinical trials conducted in Hungary related to pharmaceutical development are initiated by innovative manufacturers, producing an annual added value of nearly HUF 100 billion to the Hungarian economy. Innovative pharmaceutical companies spend an average of 15.1 percent of their revenues on research and development.