Lattuada (Takeda): “Plasma-derived demand is growing but there is a shortage of plasma”

“Within the world of plasma derivatives, the cost of raw materials represents about 57% against 14% of traditional drugs. The risk that a supplier may not be able to meet the additional demand for plasma in the face of a possible increase in cost of raw materials is concrete, for four reasons: first of all, the demand for plasma derivatives increases because access to therapies increases, but in the face of an increase in demand, production capacity is not so fast as to be able to adapt to new needs; the third reason is the shortage of plasma and, lastly, the competition between European countries to purchase the raw material “. Thus Alessandro Lattuada, Director Business Unite Rare Takeda Italy, speaking at the 15th appointment “Camerae Sanitatis”, entitled “The impact of plasma-derived therapies in Europe: solutions for Italy”. The online event promoted by the parliamentary intergroup Scienza & Salute, Sics, Quotidiano Sanità and Popular Science, is dedicated to the theme of blood donation and plasma-derived products at 360 degrees to understand the need to revisit donation schemes to guarantee the supply of plasma in Italy. “30% of plasma for Italian immunoglobulins is imported from abroad – explains Lattuada – especially from the USA. We are dependent on the United States with everything that goes with it, because in times of crisis and shortage they obviously tend to keep the product. In addition, in addition to the absence of a European direction for the purchase of plasma derivatives, the various nations are competing for the purchase. And unfortunately in Italy we have a strong limitation which is given by the payment of the payback for the imported plasma which, in addition to being an additional cost to that 57% for the raw material, represents an element of instability. It is impossible to define the amount of cost of the paybach at the time of purchase, which is defined the following year on the basis of the overrun of the pharmaceutical budget of the previous year “. “As pharmaceutical companies, the hope is that, as has been done in the Competition Bill, we hope that there will be a rapid legislative intervention that can give a quick response to this distortion that exists within European countries. Fortunately, the Italian plasma does not pay payback and this would be in accordance with the WHO recommendations according to which drugs that are considered essential are taxed in order to safeguard equity in access in all countries in the world “, he concludes. he.