Today, generic medicines are an integral part of the healthcare system and demand for these products continues to rise. However, while increased usage of generic medicines has led to unprecedented savings for healthcare systems, perspectives often remain focused solely on their cost-saving potential. This can underplay the societal value of generic medicines in Europe and underestimate their contributions, compounding the challenges that healthcare systems are facing today.

Over the past decades, it is unlikely that government and payers would have met the growing demand for medicines without the savings generated by generic medicines. Today generics are in use in all facets of healthcare and can only be replaced at enormous additional costs for society. Given the Europe’s ageing populations, financial challenges, increased burden of chronic disease, and a surge in innovative treatment options, the contributions that generic medicines offer to health systems are increasingly important.

The changing landscape and proposition provided by the generic medicine sector raises new questions to be answered:

• What can healthcare systems do to optimize past and future savings from off-patent opportunities provided by generic molecules?
• Is it possible to balance access to smaller volume products that have limited commercial viability but remain valuable treatment options?
• How can a greater supply security be ensured for Europe, and what are the implications on current prices?
• What are the potential risks of reshoring and what challenges does the sector face?
• How can the economic and societal value provided by the sector be translated into futureproof generic medicine policies supporting investment in the sector?