"Our priority: that innovative drugs reach the market" Paperjam

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"Our priority: that innovative drugs reach the market" Paperjam

Innovative Medicines for Luxembourg (IML) has appointed a new Secretary General to succeed Sonia Franck. Romain Labé took office on 9 September and intends to raise awareness of the pharmaceutical industry and position IML in the major current discussions. Meeting on the occasion of Healthcare Week Luxembourg.

It is yet another baptism of fire for Romain Labé, appointed Secretary General of the IML association, the grouping of the innovative pharmaceutical industry that brings together 60 members. He is participating today and tomorrow in the second Healthcare Week Luxembourg at Luxexpo. An opportunity to get to know this new player in the world of healthcare, in five questions.

Who are you, Romain Labé, and what has your career been like so far?

Romain Labé. – “I am an industrial pharmacist, I studied in France, I have a doctorate in industrial pharmacy. I started professionally at Procter & Gamble in France, in Paris, in logistics. For five years, I did a lot of logistics at the pharmaceutical level. Then, I wanted to refocus on pharmaceutical activities and also to have a change of scenery. I worked at Laboratoires Bailleul in Luxembourg for the opening of their European hub, still on the logistics level. After this adventure, I moved to the hospital side in the sister company of the Robert Schumann hospitals, Santé Service in Kirchberg, around continuous improvement in the hospital. Then Covid arrived. I was then part of the team that worked with the LIH to create Large-Scale Testing that we presented to the Ministry of Higher Education, and I then provided Project Management in collaboration with Laboratoires Réunis. I also participated in developing a production of masks at the national level. With IML since September 9, I can discover a new profession, much more focused on a "public affairs" field and where, on the other hand, what is important for me is to have knowledge of the pharmaceutical ecosystem.

What are your objectives and missions as the new Secretary General of IML?

"Defend the interests of our members, who are all innovative pharmaceutical industries, and who have medicines on the Luxembourg market. Our number one priority is that innovative medicines arrive on the market, on time.

The other missions are to make IML known, so that it really becomes a discussion partner in the various issues that may arise at the national level. So becoming a discussion partner with public entities, the government, but also research centers, patient associations... For me, it is something important because I think that the pharmaceutical industry must also discuss with public opinion, must show its activities to public opinion and also explain what we do, and why we do it.

How does the pharmaceutical industry ecosystem look in Luxembourg?

“We don’t manufacture medicines here in Luxembourg. However, all the major pharmaceutical companies that do R&D distribute their medicines in Luxembourg. All innovations arrive in Luxembourg. IML brings together more than 60 members.

What are the challenges and challenges in terms of supply, and is there a risk of shortages?

“The main challenge today is to ensure that our innovations reach the market. But also the availability of products, for which we try to work hand in hand with governments and hospitals. There are pilot projects around electronic leaflets to be able to bring medicines from other markets to Luxembourg more quickly, with a leaflet that is still accessible according to the country’s rules. Today, the main axis is from Belgium to Luxembourg. It’s historic. The Ministry of Health and the Belgian agencies work a lot with the Luxembourg Ministry of Health and the drug divisions. This is an area that works very well.

The other challenges are innovation, the risk of disruption and visibility, and finally, changing legislation. As for the risk of shortage, on blockbusters like paracetamol, there are alternatives. Obviously, disruptions can exist, but we try to minimize this risk as much as possible.

What do you think is the medicine of the future?

“It is a personalized medicine, which will act specifically where the body needs it. This is in line with what we see everywhere in the world: personalization. The medicine of the future will be more effective, with fewer side effects. It is a distant futuristic vision in the long term, but it is clearly the vision I have. It is true that it is in line with personalized medicine.”

 

Written by Maëlle Hamma / Paperjam

Published on 01.10.2024

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