Health Action International’s (HAI) work in Europe contributes to EU policy that promotes universal and equitable access to affordable medicines for needed treatment. HAI also supports policies and practices that ensure those medicines respond to societal challenges, are acceptably safe, and appropriately prescribed and used.
HAI’s 2017 European work plan focuses on providing technical expertise to policy makers, patient and consumer organisations, health NGOs and other relevant stakeholders. It also focuses on researching the extent of the pharmaceutical industry’s promotion of antibiotics to patients and healthcare professionals, as well as on identifying barriers to teaching on promotions in the medical curriculum. HAI will also enable public discussion on affordable access to needed medicines through the organization of public events. HAI will work towards these goals to support EU action that provides responses to gaps in medicines policies and are aligned with HAI’s overarching goals on Access to Needed Medicines, Rational Use of Medicines and Democratisation of Medicines Policy projects. Through its European network, HAI provides an independent patient and consumer voice in decisions that affects their health while advocating for high levels of transparency, accountability and impartiality.
HAI is a non-profit, independent non-profit organisation. It maintains a European membership network of consumer groups, healthcare professionals, academics and public interest NGOs. The growing European regional network is represented in over half of the EU’s Member States. The HAI European office coordinates actions in collaboration with the HAI Europe Association and European civil society organisations.



Health Action International (HAI)'s European 2018 work plan builds on previous work supported by CHAFEA and aims to provide a response to persistent shortfalls in European medicines policy and regulation. HAI’s work plan is aligned with the objectives of the Third Health Programme and with HAI’s organisational goals: (1) Access to Affordable Medicines, (2) Medicines Safety, Added Therapeutic Value and Responsible Use, (3) Democratisation of Medicines Policy.

HAI will keep on addressing those factors affecting access to medicines, including Intellectual Property rights while campaigning to broaden public and policy support to alternative models of biomedical innovation that contribute to medicines affordability and ensure public return on public investment. Advice and support will be provided to measures enhancing generic competition while bolstering governments position in procurement and medicines price negotiations.
As a member of the HTA Network Stakeholders Pool, HAI will contribute to the work of the network and issue recommendations to ensure that collaborative efforts strengthen the quality and robustness of HTA systems in Europe with the ultimate goal to enhance the sustainability of healthcare systems. Regarding the little (or non-existing) added therapeutic value of many new medicines, HAI will seek policy and regulatory support for more robust frameworks for medicines market approval; this will include initiatives for more proactive and robust pharmacovigilance systems to further protect patients’ safety. As a member of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Patients’ and Consumers’ Working Party (PCWP), HAI will bring an independent consumers’ voice to EMA’s discussions and public consultations. We will closely follow developments in public access to clinical data in the EU and issue recommendations for enhanced transparency. In addition, we will implement initiatives to promote rational use of medicines by healthcare professionals.


Stichting (Foundation) Health Action International's European multi-annual programme 2018-2021 builds on previous work supported by CHAFEA and aims to provide a response to persistent shortfalls in European medicines policy. HAI’s work plan is aligned with the objectives of the Third Health Programme and with HAI’s organisational goals: (1) Access to Affordable Medicines, (2) Medicines Safety, Added Therapeutic Value and Responsible Use, (3) Democratisation of Medicines Policy.

In particular, HAI will campaign to broaden public and policy support to alternative models of biomedical innovation that contribute to medicines affordability and ensure public return on public investment. We will also provide advice and support initiatives that enhance generic competition and empower governments in medicines price negotiations. As a member of the HTA Network Stakeholders Pool for the mandate 2016-2020, HAI will contribute to the work of Stakeholders Pool and issue recommendations to ensure that collaborative efforts strengthen the quality and robustness HTA systems in Europe with the ultimate goal to enhance the sustainability of healthcare systems and medical innovation. Following concerns about the little (or non-existing) added therapeutic value of many new medicines, HAI will seek policy and regulatory support for more robust frameworks for medicines. We will support initiatives for more proactive and robust pharmacovigilance systems to further protect patients’ safety. As a member of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Patients’ and Consumers’ Working Party (PCWP), HAI will bring independent consumers’ voice to EMA’s policies and initiatives. We will follow closely developments on public access to clinical data in the EU and issue recommendations for enhanced transparency. In addition, we will implement initiatives for enhanced rational use of medicines for example by capacitating healthcare professionals to better assess information on medicines.
