The Opinion

by Alicia de Castro, Country Manager Lilly Portugal

Portugal has a valuable combination of skilled talent, high-quality healthcare infrastructure and a dynamic scientific innovation ecosystem. However, this potential is held back by systematic delays before patients can access innovative medicines; what we can call the “cost of waiting”.

The most recent data from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) reveal a concerning reality: patients in Portugal wait, on average, 840 days (more than two years) to access a new medicine after its approval at European level. This is 262 more days, the equivalent of almost nine months, compared to the European Union average.

In practice, these 840 days translate into an incalculable loss of quality of life. They mean avoidable complications for those living with diabetes and obesity, and the progression of a disease that could be slowed for those facing Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to creating an increased emotional and financial burden for patients and caregivers, disease complications raise the overall economic cost for the country and the pressure on the National Health Service.

Lilly has sought to contribute to reducing these timelines. We have reduced the time needed to complete clinical trials globally from an average of 11 years to six, through the adoption of cutting-edge technology, and we have accelerated and improved the rigor of our regulatory submissions, promoting more efficient and predictable processes. Our goal is simple: to collaborate constructively so that innovation reaches faster the patients who need it.

At Lilly, our purpose is to deliver solutions to the most pressing global health challenges. Investment in Research & Development (R&D) allows us to bring innovation to some of the most complex diseases with the greatest unmet needs worldwide. Our almost 150 years of history demonstrate that it is through collaboration between science, medicine and society that major transformations and discoveries that change lives are born, as happened with the treatment of diabetes or the eradication of polio. It is this spirit of partnership and strategic vision that we propose to overcome the “cost of waiting” and the challenges of obesity and Alzheimer’s disease in Portugal.

We believe it is essential that access to innovative medicines is no longer treated as a cost and instead is seen as a direct investment in the well-being of the population and in the country’s competitiveness. A robust R&D ecosystem, which attracts clinical trials, not only provides patients with faster access to cutting-edge therapies, but also injects direct investment into the economy, creates highly skilled jobs and strengthens the prestige of scientific and medical institutions.

This journey also requires a solid digital foundation. The implementation of interoperable healthcare systems that use real-world data (RWD) in an intelligent and ethical way, as well as Artificial Intelligence (AI), is crucial. This digital transformation allows us to accelerate research, optimise care delivery, personalise treatments and support value-based decision-making, benefiting patients and managers with a more efficient allocation of resources focused on outcomes.

Our ambition must be broader, with health as a cornerstone of national policy. The health and well-being of the population go beyond the walls of hospitals and healthcare centres, being influenced by almost all areas of governance, from the economy to education, from urban planning to the environment. Integrating health as a cross-cutting criterion in all policy decisions is the only way to ensure that economic competitiveness and quality of life in Portugal truly go hand in hand.

The way forward involves placing patients at the centre of decision-making and fostering genuine collaboration between industry, government, academia and civil society. Only then can we transform our health innovation potential into tangible benefits for the population. The “cost of waiting” is a price too high for everyone. The time to act is now.