On the morning of February 1, on the occasion of the Spring Festival of 2021, Asgar Rangoonwala, Chairman of the RDPAC Executive Committee, came to the RDPAC Beijing office to extend holiday greetings to all RDPAC staff, and had a cordial conversation with everyone at the RDPAC 2021 annual Town Hall Meeting.
On behalf of the RDPAC Executive Committee, Asgar expressed full affirmation of RDPAC’s work in the past year. He emphasized in the Town Hall Meeting that as an industry organization that gathers 43 multinational pharmaceutical companies with pharmaceutical R&D capabilities, RDPAC must continue to play a linking role, always adhere to the patient-centered approach, increase accessibility of innovative drugs, promote global innovative and effective drugs to benefit the Chinese people as soon as possible, and help achieve the goal of Healthy China 2030.
At the exchange meeting, Asgar and the RDPAC team discussed in-depth hot topics in industries, such as accelerating the introduction of innovative drugs, increasing drug accessibility for patients, and boosting the pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem. Asgar Rangoonwala said: "Currently, a huge demand for treatment in China has not yet been met. Although pharmaceutical innovation is in a stage of rapid development at present, in terms of accessibility of innovative drugs and the improvement of the innovative ecosystem, there is still a big gap from developed countries like Europe, America and Japan. We look forward to accelerating the simultaneous listing of innovative drugs and developing a multi-level medical security system to better meet the needs of patients. Our goal always maintains the same, which is to promote the introduction of innovative drugs into China, benefit more Chinese patients, and help achieve the goal of healthy China through innovation and cooperation.”
On behalf of all staff, Kang Wei, Managing Director of RDPAC, thanked RDPAC Executive Committee for their leadership and support to the work of RDPAC. RDAPC member companies not only continuously bring innovative and good drugs to Chinese patients, but also actively fulfill social responsibilities with practical actions, take root in China and serve China. In retrospect of the past year, in the face of the domestic outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, RDPAC member companies acted quickly, set up a working group as soon as possible, donated money and materials to support the domestic fight against the epidemic, immediately started the research and development of related drugs and vaccines, which fully demonstrated the pharmaceutical company’s sense of responsibility. At the same time, the epidemic has also made all sectors of society realize the importance of increasing investment in the fields of medical and health.
Kang Wei emphasized: "Patients' sense of acquisition towards innovative drugs is a key link to achieve the goal of healthy China. The results of the RDPAC survey indicate that preventive measures, therapeutic methods, and breakthrough technology research are the three major health improvement measures. By 2040, it can reduce the disease burden by about 55%, thus effectively helping achieve the goal of healthy China. The three measures for health improvement are closely related to the innovative drug industry. Therefore, it is the direction of RDPAC's continuous efforts to further make China the birthplace for innovative drugs in the world, increase drug accessibility for patients, make the world's leading innovative drugs available and affordable to patients."