Report Finds Big Pharma is Doing More for Access to Medicine in Developing Countries than Two Years Ago

Report Finds Big Pharma is Doing More for Access to Medicine in Developing Countries than Two Years Ago PR Newswire AMSTERDAM, November 28, 2012 AMSTERDAM, November 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest Access to Medicine Index, which ranks the top 20 pharmaceutical companies on their efforts to improve access to medicine in developing countries, finds that the industry is doing more than it was two years ago, with GlaxoSmithKline still outperforming its peers, but an expanding group of leaders closing the gap. http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121128/579726 The Index, published Wednesday, found that Johnson & Johnson was one of the most dramatic risers, climbing from the th ndmiddle of the field in 9 position in the 2010 Index to 2 this year, closely behind GlaxoSmithKline. It is one of two newcomers to the top three. Its rise is due largely to its consolidation of its access activities under one business unit, which has resulted in a more strategic and integrated approach, and to its acquisition of vaccine maker Crucell, which has increased the relevance of its research and development investments. It has also disclosed more overall about its access activities. "This year's Index shows that companies are becoming more organised internally in their approach to access to medicine and that those who do this best tend to perform well across the other aspects we measure.