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PUNE: Indian healthcare system needs innovation and collaboration, rather than confrontation, say experts. The health sector carries huge potential for all the stakeholders like patient groups, government, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies as well as the non governmental organisations (NGO). People need services and they need it at a lower cost. It cannot happen without cooperation from all the sectors, they say.
Pharmaceutical sector has a major role to play in healthcare innovation. However, the pharmaceutical companies are in a fix due to increasing development costs and decreasing margins. Sundeep Kumar, head, corporate and public affairs, Novartis said, "The pharma industry remains concerned about patients' access to healthcare and are committed to working with the government of India and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions. Still, product innovation in pharma industry is extremely capital intensive."
"To sustain this process, pharma companies like any other business have to recover the costs. In a country like India, where 85% of the healthcare costs are paid by the end consumer, to reduce this burden, innovative models of partnership amongst government, insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies need to be worked out in order to provide better access," Kumar said.
Recently, government and a pharmaceutical company have together developed a "Rotavac" vaccine that can save millions of children. This public private partnership sets an example for the rest of the industry; they can follow suit and help in countering the cost of healthcare services. Collaboration of government, patient groups, NGOs and insurance companies could be the game changer for the country.
Amit Kapoor, honorary chairman at Institute for Competitiveness India, said, "India needs to support and incentivise an innovation driven environment. It needs to explore business models that tackle issues specific to India including PPP, social entrepreneurship and patient assistance programmes. Innovation in healthcare can be a game changer; however, cost of innovation needs to be borne by someone, which could be government too."
Vinod Kumar, emeritus professor, department of medicine, St Stephens Hospital, Delhi and president emeritus, Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Society of India, said, "India's population is rapidly ageing and this aging population requires affordable, accessible and quality public health services, innovative healthcare financing and preventive measures like lifestyle modification, and better hygiene. Most importantly, Alzheimer's patients and patients with related disorders need new treatment options to improve quality of life and cure disease. In order for Indian patients to realise such benefits, India must create an innovative environment to support greater clinical research for these cures."
Pharmaceutical sector has a major role to play in healthcare innovation. However, the pharmaceutical companies are in a fix due to increasing development costs and decreasing margins. Sundeep Kumar, head, corporate and public affairs, Novartis said, "The pharma industry remains concerned about patients' access to healthcare and are committed to working with the government of India and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions. Still, product innovation in pharma industry is extremely capital intensive."
"To sustain this process, pharma companies like any other business have to recover the costs. In a country like India, where 85% of the healthcare costs are paid by the end consumer, to reduce this burden, innovative models of partnership amongst government, insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies need to be worked out in order to provide better access," Kumar said.
Recently, government and a pharmaceutical company have together developed a "Rotavac" vaccine that can save millions of children. This public private partnership sets an example for the rest of the industry; they can follow suit and help in countering the cost of healthcare services. Collaboration of government, patient groups, NGOs and insurance companies could be the game changer for the country.
Amit Kapoor, honorary chairman at Institute for Competitiveness India, said, "India needs to support and incentivise an innovation driven environment. It needs to explore business models that tackle issues specific to India including PPP, social entrepreneurship and patient assistance programmes. Innovation in healthcare can be a game changer; however, cost of innovation needs to be borne by someone, which could be government too."
Vinod Kumar, emeritus professor, department of medicine, St Stephens Hospital, Delhi and president emeritus, Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Society of India, said, "India's population is rapidly ageing and this aging population requires affordable, accessible and quality public health services, innovative healthcare financing and preventive measures like lifestyle modification, and better hygiene. Most importantly, Alzheimer's patients and patients with related disorders need new treatment options to improve quality of life and cure disease. In order for Indian patients to realise such benefits, India must create an innovative environment to support greater clinical research for these cures."
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