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Medicines in Development for Hispanics
Pharmaceutical researchers are developing 581 new medicines for diseases that disproportionately affect the nation’s 42.7 million Hispanic Americans, according to this report by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). The report was compiled in cooperation with the Interamerican College of Physicians and Surgeons, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, and the National Puerto Rican Coalition. Here are some highlights:
- Although Hispanic Americans make up only 14.4 per- cent of the U.S. population, they account for nearly 20 percent of new AIDS cases. Pharmaceutical com- panies are currently developing 73 new medicines to fight HIV and AIDS.
- Hispanic Americans have disproportionately high rates of cervical, gall bladder, gastric and liver cancers. In 2003, breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancers were the leading cancer killers of Hispanic Americans. Pharmaceutical researchers are working on 178 poten- tial medicines for these types of cancer.
- Hispanic Americans are nearly twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as non-Hispanic whites. There are 66 medicines in the pipeline to combat this disease.
- Between the ages of 35 and 64, Hispanic Americans have a higher risk of having a stroke than non- Hispanic whites. Companies have 24 medicines for stroke in the pipeline.
In addition, companies are developing 125 medicines for respiratory disorders, 41 for high cholesterol, 27 for hypertension, and 29 for obesity—all of which affect Hispanic Americans disproportionately. All of the medicines included in the report are either in clinical trials or awaiting approval by the Food and Drug Administration.
For a host of reasons, Hispanic Americans suffer from a health deficit. Lack of access to health care is an important contributing factor.
According to a survey by the Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation, 73 percent of Hispanic Americans either lack insurance coverage themselves or know someone who is uninsured, 15 percent of Hispanics did not get medical treatment they needed, and another 20 percent postponed treatment they could not afford. These quality and access problems must be addressed. PhRMA member companies are helping needy Americans get the medicines they need through the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA). Since April 2005, PPA has matched more than 2.5 million qualified patients to one or more of over 475 national, state and industry-sponsored patient assistance programs that provide eligible patients their medicines for free or nearly free. Pharmaceutical research on diseases that disproportionately affect Hispanic Americans can also help close the health care gap.
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