Boehringer Ingelheim Ranks 12 in 2021 Access-To-Medicine Index

Boehringer Ingelheim ranks 12 among 20 pharmaceutical companies in the Access-To-Medicine Index for 2021, climbing two places.

This was in recognition of its ongoing effort to overcoming barriers to access to healthcare, especially for vulnerable groups and communities in lower-to-middle-income countries.

The Access-To-Medicine ranking report acknowledged Boehringer Ingelheim’s investments in R&D areas that are aligned with the focus of the index; this includes the Research Beyond Borders program, in which the company continues its search for new therapies for diseases such as tuberculosis, HBV and Dengue fever as well as treating antimicrobial resistance.

Dr Antonio Ruffolo, Head of Access To Healthcare and Global Health Policy at Boehringer Ingelheim says “ Looking ahead, continued and substantial R&D investments in the relevant therapeutic areas, combined with a solid stream of candidates progressing towards Phase III, are expected to contribute to the progress of the late-stage portfolio over the coming years.”

Boehringer Ingelheim has invested in partnerships and initiatives designed to strengthen healthcare systems in the least-developed countries. 

These include In-Reach Africa Initiatives “Kuza Afya” and “Tiba Yako” launched in Kenya. The efforts of both projects have improved community awareness and access to therapies for emerging cardiovascular and metabolic diseases like hypertension and diabetes, especially in grassroots low-income areas across the western regions of the country. 

The two programmes were implemented through local partners such as the AMPATH Consortium, Moi University and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and PharmAccess. The programmes have been successful with over 100,000 patients being screened for diabetes and hypertension and an estimated 7,000 patients gaining routine access to vital diabetes and hypertension care as well hundreds of community healthcare workers being trained in the identification, prevention and management of the two conditions.

The Access-To-Medicine Index is a ranking system published biennially by the Access to Medicine Foundation in Amsterdam. It grades the world’s 20 largest pharmaceutical companies according to their ability to make their pharmaceutical products more available, affordable, accessible and acceptable in 106 lower-to-middle income countries across the globe.

The 2021 Access to Medicine Index