On March 26, 2019, Prof. Song Ruilin, Executive President of China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Research Development Association (hereinafter referred to as PhIRDA ) met with Thomas Cueni, Director-General of International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA), and exchanged ideas on  deepening cooperation, strengthen Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) Protection in the field of pharmaceutical innovation, facilitating the Universal Health Coverage and so forth.

Prof. Song spoke highly of IFPMA’s achievements in global pharmaceutical innovation and ethical works, and noted that PhIRDA would actively participate in various events and activities organized by IFPMA. Through such an extraordinary platform could we make further cooperation within the healthcare industry, and raise China’s role in domestic and global pharmaceutical innovation development. On behalf of PhIRDA, Prof. Song expressed the intention to jointly host a conference with IFPMA in China in November this year, and invite IFPMA members to discuss heated issues in the field of pharmaceutical innovation. In this way, not only could China acquire access to the edge-cutting medical innovative policy and rich experience, but also the world could initiate a door into China’s development and progress of pharmaceutical industry in recent years.

Mr. Cueni highly appreciated the work accomplished by PhIRDA after joining IFPMA, and expressed great interests to the proposal of jointly hosting a conference.

Prof. Song indicated that, the domestic IPRs Protection had shifted from an external requirement to an internal demand for China. We, under the state of economic development, called on all countries to provide a fresh impetus to the development of global pharmaceutical innovation by focusing on talents and technologies, market access and IPRs Protection.

Mr. Cueni agreed that IPRs Protection has staged on as the global key work. As the representatives of industry associations focusing on promoting global pharmaceutical innovation, PhIRDA and IFPMA should hold hands for further involvement in the field of IPRs Protection, so as to voice for a thorough revolution to the industry and the world together.

The Universal Health Coverage was one of the main topics in the talk. Mr. Cueni saw the issue from that it should entail more cooperation between social and commercial insurance, more multiple choices on medical insurance for people, and more effective binding by enacting and enforcing law. PhIRDA and IFPMA also carried a further discussion on future cooperation to make more contribution to the development of global medical innovation.

Song Ruilin, Executive President of PhIRDA and Thomas Cueni, Director General of IFPMA

Ms. Feng Lan, Secretary-General of PhIRDA, Ms. Lu Xiaoti, Deputy Secretary-General and Mr. Li Gen, Project Assistant of International Affairs attended the meeting.