Big Pharma in the EU : Dutch healthcare institute "Zorginstituut Nederland" says drugs companies are effectively blackmailing officials by refusing to be transparent about their pricing

The Dutch healthcare institute "Zorginstituut Nederland" said recently insurers should stop paying for expensive drugs if pharmaceutical companies continue to refuse to say how they arrive at their pricing. 

The institute, which assesses the efficacy of new drugs and advises the government on whether they should be included in the basic healthcare policy, says the drugs companies are effectively blackmailing officials by refusing to be transparent about their prices.

Last years June announcement that Ireland is joining the Beneluxa Initiative on Pharmaceutical Policy might suggest renewed vigour for the drive to equip national governments with more clout in their pricing negotiations with international drug firms.

The likelihood is that better-informed health authorities will be better equipped to confront drug firms. Similarly, drug firms will be obliged to present more cogent justifications for their pricing ambitions.

 As has been proven in the US, Pharmaceutical companies. also known there as "Big Pharma, can not be left operating with little or no strict Governmental controls.

In the US this has led to a steady rise in the cost of pharmaceutical products for  consumers.

 It is more than obvious the Pharmaceutical industry must be closely monitored in two major areas: a) Their pricing structures and practices, and b) Providing far more transparency in their marketing and sales activities, specifically as it relates to the insurance and medical industry.

In Europe the initiatives of the Beneluxa Initiative on Pharmaceutical Policy certainly are a step in the right direction, but unfortunately Government support and action has been extremely slow, while the Pharmaceutical lobby in the EU Parliament, however, like it has been in the US Congress and Senate, has been vigorous and very effective. 

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Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium begin joint air policing - by Nicholas Fiorenza

 Two Belgian Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter aircraft began the joint air policing of the airspace of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Benelux) on 1 January.

The Belgian fighters will be on 15-minute quick reaction alert (QRA) for the first four months of 2017, after which two Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) F-16s will take over.

The arrangement was agreed by the Benelux in March 2015. Until the end of 2016, two Belgian F-16s were on QRA for Belgium and Luxembourg and two Dutch F-16s for the Netherlands.

Belgian Defence Minister Steven Vandeput described the arrangement as "ground breaking". Similarly, his Dutch counterpart, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, called it a "milestone", adding, "The pilots and fighter aircraft we thereby free up can be deployed elsewhere, for example in the UN, EU or whatever other context." The agreement will also allow more flight training, Vandeput pointed out.

Vandeput said no other countries trust each other to deal with air threats within each other's' borders. The authorities of the country over which an air threat emerges can now give instructions to the fighters on QRA, whether Belgian or Dutch. The Belgian defence minister would do so through the control and reporting centre in Glons, Belgium, while the Dutch minister for security and justice would do the same through the air operations control station in Nieuw Milligen, the Netherlands. The defence minister of Luxembourg is the responsible authority of the Grand Duchy.

The technical agreement on Benelux air policing was signed on 21 December 2016 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, by the commander of the Belgian Air Component, Major General Frederik Vansina, his RNLAF counterpart, Lieutenant General Dennis Luyt, and Luxembourg's ambassador to the Netherlands, Pierre-Louis Lorenz.The two Belgian F-16s currently on QRA are bas

Read more: Netherlands and Belgium begin joint air policing | IHS Jane's 360

The Netherlands: EU Defense Cooperation Takes Flight at Joint Air Base in Eindhoven

Much talked about but rare in practice, EU defense cooperation is becoming a reality at a Dutch air base where French, German and Benelux personnel mount thousands of missions each year.

“Small is beautiful” could be the motto for the European Air Transport Command, working at Eindhoven to offer a real joint capability to cash-strapped European Union states.

“The EATC is a unique military structure in Europe. It works on the principle of ‘car-sharing,’” said its commander, French Gen. Pascal Valentin.

The EATC was set up in 2010 at the initiative of the French and German military who had pushed the idea since 2000 to share air transport resources and help reduce costs.

Shortly afterward, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg — who already pool significant military resources — joined them.

The aim is to maximize the use of military transport resources at a time when tighter defense budgets put a premium on cost effectiveness.

For example, if a German plane is going to Afghanistan, EATC will ensure it has a full load both ways, be it a French cargo of equipment or Dutch soldiers.

“It is a bit like the tie-ups you see among commercial airlines,” such as Skyteam or Star Alliance, German Lt. Col. Ralf Gerard said.

Read more: EU Defense Cooperation Takes Flight at Joint Air Base | Defense News | defensenews.com