PHRMA

December 1, 2008
America’s Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies: Helping Seniors to Longer, Healthier Lives
By Billy Tauzin

The good news, according to the National Institutes on Aging (NIA), is that Americans are living longer than ever before. In fact, the National Center for Health Statistics reports that someone born in 2005 may expect to live nearly 78 years. The average American born in 1955, by comparison, was estimated to live to only 69.9 years of age. That means that we’ve been able to add nearly 10 years to the average American life over the last 50 years. And, if you are one of the growing numbers of older Americans who are healthy and active, those added years can be a real boon.

We’ve been able to accomplish this feat for a number of reasons that include better nutrition and preventative care, better medicines and improved training of health care professionals, and an increased understanding of diseases that particularly affect the elderly. We’ve also made important strides in detecting and treating a number of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and even cancers at all stages of life. In other words, we’re doing better at turning once-deadly conditions into medically manageable, chronic conditions.

Better still, we’re really just getting started in our understanding of the causes and treatment of several diseases that hit aging Americans especially hard. For example, as many as 5 million mostly elderly Americans today suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. In recent years, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two new types of medicines specifically to treat Alzheimer’s disease. These medicines help with cognitive and behavioral symptoms and delay memory loss – though, sadly, patients do eventually lose their memories.

These medical advances against Alzheimer’s disease are great news but it is important to remember that almost everything researchers’ know about Alzheimer’s and that have lead to these initial medical advances has been learned in just the last 15 years. Further, these advances would likely have been impossible without the significant medical, scientific and technical progress made in the last 50 years. Scientists and researchers still have a long way to go before they find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but that work is underway in pharmaceutical and biotechnology laboratories across America, pushed forward in no small part by the knowledge that as the elderly population rises, so too does the need for new and better treatments.

So, while a cure for Alzheimer’s disease remains elusive for now, there is a lot of hope for the future. And, the hope I speak of exists for more than just patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Today, America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are working on over 2,000 medicines to treat diseases affecting aging Americans to help them live even longer, healthier, more productive lives. These medicines now in clinical trials or before the FDA and awaiting final approval target diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and many other conditions that so often compromise the health of aging Americans and too often result in either physical or mental restrictions or even premature death (for more information on new medicines now in development to help aging Americans, visit: http://www.phrma.org/medicines_in_development_for_older_americans/ ).

But though much progress has been made, and while the prospect for further progress is bright, the news isn’t all good. For example, because Americans are living longer, an increasing number of older Americans are making demands on our health care system than ever before. An astonishing 70 million Americans considered part of the “baby boom” generation (those born between 1946-1964) have begun to retire in greater numbers. Fortunately, many are far healthier than any previous generation of Americans. However, too many Americans may find their plans for an active retirement compromised by concerns over health and a need for constant medical attention.

We should all be concerned that our health care system may not be prepared to meet the needs of the growing elderly population. America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are working hard in the search for new and better innovative treatments for a host of diseases that primarily affect the elderly, but these efforts alone are not enough. Clearly, we must do more as a country to help make sure that older Americans have access to the medicines and health care they need and also to find ways to help elderly Americans stay healthy and thereby reduce the demands made on our health care system.

In recent years, we have made some important strides. The Medicare Part D drug program is one example of a change that has helped millions of elderly and disabled Americans to gain access to and afford the medicines they need. Today, those in Medicare have a wide choice of prescription drug plans and can select the plan that best meets their individual medical needs and financial circumstances.

What is important to keep in mind is that the Medicare drug benefit relies on market forces to help make the program a success. Competition among plans helps to keep plan prices in check, ensures greater efficiency and provides beneficiaries with real choices of benefit plans and available medicines.

As we look for new ways to improve our health care system, solutions like the Medicare prescription drug program that rely on the market serve as useful models. First, Medicare Part D is providing a critical drug benefit to millions of seniors who once had no drug coverage. Second, it promotes benefits designed to meet the varying medical and medicine needs of a diverse range of patients. Third, it has increased beneficiaries’ access to the medicines they need. Fourth, it has helped seniors save money on their medicines. Fifth, and perhaps most importantly, it preserves consumer choice and has enhanced competition among drug benefit providers. The bottom line is that vast majority of American seniors covered by a Medicare drug plan are overwhelmingly satisfied with their coverage and believe that it works well. Additionally, the program has cost hundreds of billions less than originally forecast, saving taxpayer money.

Those high approval numbers are a testament to how well the Medicare Part D drug benefit is working and a measure of how private sector-based solutions can work to improve access to health care.

But, as we consider what can be done in this country to improve access to health care in general and for seniors in particular, we must certainly do a far better job of promoting and rewarding good health and disease prevention. We can improve access, health delivery systems, health insurance coverage, professional training and every possible aspect of our health care system, but it won’t be truly effective if patients don’t also do their part. This means that we all must also be mindful of the need for better prevention and early intervention. Though predictions are that Americans born today will on average live into their late 70s, such forecasts may fall short if we don’t, for example, reverse the growing trend of childhood obesity. Diabetes, heart disease and other health complications that can grow out of childhood obesity will lead to more pain and suffering, but also will mean more costly demands on our health care system.

In the end, we must also remember that there is nothing inevitable about our ability to continue expanding average life spans in the United States. Today, we struggle to prepare for an onslaught of aging Americans in need of increased access to health care. But if we don’t do more to promote and reward prevention and early intervention, then the generations to follow the “baby boomers” may not make it to retirement age without falling victim to otherwise avoidable conditions like heart disease and diabetes. In other words, health care reform should be about many things, including prevention, treatments, access, efficiencies and managing costs. If we get the balance right, American seniors will enjoy better health and longer lives. And, we will all continue to benefit from the exciting research and development of new medicines to help treat diseases of the elderly now being tackled by America’s pharmaceutical research companies.





PhRMA President & CEO

Click here to read Billy's Bio

Read other Straight Talk from Billy Tauzin Articles

• 12.01.08  Helping Seniors to Live Healthier, Longer Lives
• 11.01.08   The Next 50 Years of Medical Innovation Has Already Started
• 10.01.08   Disease is Non-Partisan
• 03.29.08   State of the Industry Address
• 02.21.07   Serving Patients our Central Mission
• 11.30.06   The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: Meeting the Needs of Seniors

More

December 1, 2008
America’s Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies: Helping Seniors to Longer, Healthier Lives
By Billy Tauzin

The good news, according to the National Institutes on Aging (NIA), is that Americans are living longer than ever before. In fact, the National Center for Health Statistics reports that someone born in 2005 may expect to live nearly 78 years. The average American born in 1955, by comparison, was estimated to live to only 69.9 years of age. That means that we’ve been able to add nearly 10 years to the average American life over the last 50 years. And, if you are one of the growing numbers of older Americans who are healthy and active, those added years can be a real boon.

We’ve been able to accomplish this feat for a number of reasons that include better nutrition and preventative care, better medicines and improved training of health care professionals, and an increased understanding of diseases that particularly affect the elderly. We’ve also made important strides in detecting and treating a number of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and even cancers at all stages of life. In other words, we’re doing better at turning once-deadly conditions into medically manageable, chronic conditions.

Better still, we’re really just getting started in our understanding of the causes and treatment of several diseases that hit aging Americans especially hard. For example, as many as 5 million mostly elderly Americans today suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. In recent years, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two new types of medicines specifically to treat Alzheimer’s disease. These medicines help with cognitive and behavioral symptoms and delay memory loss – though, sadly, patients do eventually lose their memories.

These medical advances against Alzheimer’s disease are great news but it is important to remember that almost everything researchers’ know about Alzheimer’s and that have lead to these initial medical advances has been learned in just the last 15 years. Further, these advances would likely have been impossible without the significant medical, scientific and technical progress made in the last 50 years. Scientists and researchers still have a long way to go before they find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but that work is underway in pharmaceutical and biotechnology laboratories across America, pushed forward in no small part by the knowledge that as the elderly population rises, so too does the need for new and better treatments.

So, while a cure for Alzheimer’s disease remains elusive for now, there is a lot of hope for the future. And, the hope I speak of exists for more than just patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Today, America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are working on over 2,000 medicines to treat diseases affecting aging Americans to help them live even longer, healthier, more productive lives. These medicines now in clinical trials or before the FDA and awaiting final approval target diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and many other conditions that so often compromise the health of aging Americans and too often result in either physical or mental restrictions or even premature death (for more information on new medicines now in development to help aging Americans, visit: http://www.phrma.org/medicines_in_development_for_older_americans/ ).

But though much progress has been made, and while the prospect for further progress is bright, the news isn’t all good. For example, because Americans are living longer, an increasing number of older Americans are making demands on our health care system than ever before. An astonishing 70 million Americans considered part of the “baby boom” generation (those born between 1946-1964) have begun to retire in greater numbers. Fortunately, many are far healthier than any previous generation of Americans. However, too many Americans may find their plans for an active retirement compromised by concerns over health and a need for constant medical attention.

We should all be concerned that our health care system may not be prepared to meet the needs of the growing elderly population. America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are working hard in the search for new and better innovative treatments for a host of diseases that primarily affect the elderly, but these efforts alone are not enough. Clearly, we must do more as a country to help make sure that older Americans have access to the medicines and health care they need and also to find ways to help elderly Americans stay healthy and thereby reduce the demands made on our health care system.

In recent years, we have made some important strides. The Medicare Part D drug program is one example of a change that has helped millions of elderly and disabled Americans to gain access to and afford the medicines they need. Today, those in Medicare have a wide choice of prescription drug plans and can select the plan that best meets their individual medical needs and financial circumstances.

What is important to keep in mind is that the Medicare drug benefit relies on market forces to help make the program a success. Competition among plans helps to keep plan prices in check, ensures greater efficiency and provides beneficiaries with real choices of benefit plans and available medicines.

As we look for new ways to improve our health care system, solutions like the Medicare prescription drug program that rely on the market serve as useful models. First, Medicare Part D is providing a critical drug benefit to millions of seniors who once had no drug coverage. Second, it promotes benefits designed to meet the varying medical and medicine needs of a diverse range of patients. Third, it has increased beneficiaries’ access to the medicines they need. Fourth, it has helped seniors save money on their medicines. Fifth, and perhaps most importantly, it preserves consumer choice and has enhanced competition among drug benefit providers. The bottom line is that vast majority of American seniors covered by a Medicare drug plan are overwhelmingly satisfied with their coverage and believe that it works well. Additionally, the program has cost hundreds of billions less than originally forecast, saving taxpayer money.

Those high approval numbers are a testament to how well the Medicare Part D drug benefit is working and a measure of how private sector-based solutions can work to improve access to health care.

But, as we consider what can be done in this country to improve access to health care in general and for seniors in particular, we must certainly do a far better job of promoting and rewarding good health and disease prevention. We can improve access, health delivery systems, health insurance coverage, professional training and every possible aspect of our health care system, but it won’t be truly effective if patients don’t also do their part. This means that we all must also be mindful of the need for better prevention and early intervention. Though predictions are that Americans born today will on average live into their late 70s, such forecasts may fall short if we don’t, for example, reverse the growing trend of childhood obesity. Diabetes, heart disease and other health complications that can grow out of childhood obesity will lead to more pain and suffering, but also will mean more costly demands on our health care system.

In the end, we must also remember that there is nothing inevitable about our ability to continue expanding average life spans in the United States. Today, we struggle to prepare for an onslaught of aging Americans in need of increased access to health care. But if we don’t do more to promote and reward prevention and early intervention, then the generations to follow the “baby boomers” may not make it to retirement age without falling victim to otherwise avoidable conditions like heart disease and diabetes. In other words, health care reform should be about many things, including prevention, treatments, access, efficiencies and managing costs. If we get the balance right, American seniors will enjoy better health and longer lives. And, we will all continue to benefit from the exciting research and development of new medicines to help treat diseases of the elderly now being tackled by America’s pharmaceutical research companies.





PhRMA President & CEO

Click here to read Billy's Bio

Read other Straight Talk from Billy Tauzin Articles

• 12.01.08  Helping Seniors to Live Healthier, Longer Lives
• 11.01.08   The Next 50 Years of Medical Innovation Has Already Started
• 10.01.08   Disease is Non-Partisan
• 03.29.08   State of the Industry Address
• 02.21.07   Serving Patients our Central Mission
• 11.30.06   The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: Meeting the Needs of Seniors

More