HIGHLIGHTS OPPORTUNITIES IN EXPANDING PHARMACY-BASED HEALTHCARE SERVICES
Around 50 guests attended the fifth edition of the long-standing and popular Pharma CEO Breakfast, organized by the Budapest Business Journal in partnership with PHOENIX Pharma and Benu, at the Kimpton BEM Budapest Hotel on October 7. The exclusive morning gathering once again brought together senior executives, policymakers, and key players from Hungary’s pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors to exchange insights on current trends and challenges shaping the industry.
THE DIAGNOSTIC DIVIDEND:
UNLOCKING
VALUE AND RESILIENCE IN HUNGARIAN HEALTHCARE
As Hungary’s healthcare system continues its journey of integration and modernization, the role of highquality, timely diagnostics has never been more critical. Diagnostics, often accounting for a fraction of healthcare spending, influence the vast majority of clinical decisions, positioning them as the fundamental driver of value, efficiency, and personalized care. We sat down with Stavros Chisimellis, country manager of Roche Diagnostics Hungary, to discuss how unlocking the “Diagnostic Dividend”, the exponential return on investment from better information, can help Hungary navigate its current transformation and build a more resilient future.
How critical is it for Hungary to pivot its focus from the cost of a test to the value of the information it provides?
We must view laboratory diagnostics not as a cost center, but as a crucial investment in patient outcomes and systemic efficiency. Diagnostics are responsible for up to 4% of total healthcare expenditures, yet they inform approximately 70% of all clinical decision-making. The strategic priority for Hungary must be twofold: ensuring the highest quality of diagnostic tests, and facilitating the introduction of innovative diagnostic solutions that support the entire spectrum of the patient journey—from early screening and prognosis to personalized treatment selection and monitoring. To fully realize this value-based pivot,
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Parilov / Shutterstock com
HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS
ALL ACROSS THE WORLD STRUGGLING: INNOVATIVE MEDICINE
NOT
THE PROBLEM BUT PART OF THE SOLUTION
The landscape of global health is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by scientific breakthroughs, digital innovation, and an everdeepening understanding of human biology. Peter Ahnesorg, the general manager of Roche Hungary believes this era presents a true opportunity as investment in innovative medicine not only presents opportunities for patients and their families but creates real value to society and ultimately bolsters economic growth. For Hungary, this is not just a health imperative, but an economic and strategic one.
Roche advocates for greater national spending on healthcare innovation. In concrete terms, how does increased investment in innovative medicines tangibly transform patient outcomes and the Hungarian healthcare system?
Hungary’s public healthcare expenditure is currently under 5% of its GDP. This figure is considerably lower than the EU average and falls below the levels seen in countries like Poland and Slovenia. In several European studies, published in the post-COVID years, it is well documented that every Forint invested in innovative medicines translates into multiple Forints in GDP growth. For patients, this investment translates directly into access to novel treatments that can significantly improve, extend, and even save lives. As illustrated by Roche’s novel medicines, these advancements represent paradigm shifts in managing complex diseases across oncology, neurology, ophthalmology, and other critical areas. In the next 5 years we have the potential to bring up to 18 new medicines to patients in Hungary. The avalanche of chronic diseases means that more and more working Hungarian’s are pulled out of the workforce, and can’t care for their parents, children or grandchildren. Addressing this with more investment and most importantly, more rapid reimbursement of novel medicines, would have a significant productivity
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HUNGARY MUST SEIZE THE MOMENTUM FOR INNOVATION AND PATIENT ACCESS
As global pharmaceutical trends reshape healthcare systems, Hungary stands at a crossroads. According to Katalin Szalóki, the CEO of the Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (AIPM), the country must strengthen its life sciences industry, modernize reimbursement processes, and embrace data-driven healthcare to remain competitive and ensure sustainable patient access to innovative therapies.
The global pharma world turns upside down in the present days and this will inevitably affect the Hungarian market. Hungary has decisions to make: in order to ensure the safety of access, prices are likely to increase and therefore more emphasis has to be put on the life sciences industry. This is a must for a flourishing economy.
How do you see the current state and competitiveness of the Hungarian pharmaceutical industry within the broader European market, and what key factors will determine its future growth?
The Hungarian pharmaceutical industry will face a whole new era in the coming years. The global pharma world turns upside down in the present days and this will inevitably affect the Hungarian market. Hungary has decisions to make: in order to ensure the safety of access, prices are likely to increase and therefore more emphasis has to be put on the life sciences industry. This is a must for a flourishing economy.
What role do innovative pharmaceutical companies play in strengthening Hungary’s healthcare system, particularly in areas such as prevention, early diagnosis, and access to new therapies?
Our member companies do not only provide the newest therapies for the Hungarian patients. Our role spills over. We are part of the ecosystem and we support the Hungarian healthcare system in multiple levels. Clinical trials, which provide earlier access to the Hungarian patients to the most innovative medicines, are only one additional value that we provide.
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HUNGARY’S
PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURERS SEE OPPORTUNITY
AMID WORKFORCE AND SUPPLY CHALLENGES
Three key players in Hungary’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector: Csaba Poroszlai, CEO of Egis; Matthew Bell, country head of Sandoz Hungária; and Maria Rita Maresca, country general manager of EUROAPI Hungary, shared their insights on the state of the industry. They discussed Hungary’s strengths as a manufacturing hub, ongoing investments and modernization efforts, the growing role of sustainability and digitalization, and the challenges of maintaining a skilled workforce and secure supply chains in an evolving global landscape.
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Parilov
/ Shutterstock com
HUNGARY’S PHARMACEUTICAL DISTRIBUTION FACES NEW PRESSURES BUT REMAINS STABLE AND FORWARD-LOOKING
In this market talk, three key industry leaders—Judit Füzesi, CEO of Hungaropharma; Tamás Kaló, CEO of PHOENIX Pharma; and Petra Hajdú, country manager of Alpen Pharma Hungary—share their insights on the current state of Hungary’s pharmaceutical distribution sector. They discuss the balance between stability and stagnation, the impact of digitalization and automation, the growing importance of sustainability, and the regulatory changes needed to strengthen competitiveness in a rapidly evolving European market.
MSD HUNGARY LEADS
EFFORTS TO CREATE TRANSFORMATIVE PARTNERSHIPS FOCUSED
ON INNOVATION, DATA AND IMPROVING PATIENT OUTCOMES
As Hungary’s healthcare sector faces growing demands for innovation, data-driven decision making, and equitable access to new therapies, MSD Hungary is stepping up with transformative partnerships and advanced research initiatives. Sean R. Smith, managing director of MSD Pharma Hungary Kft., shares how the company’s focus on collaboration, clinical trials, and real-world evidence supports better patient outcomes and helps shape a more efficient, future-ready healthcare system.
With extensive global biopharma leadership experience in the United States and Europe, you have seen the industry from many angles. How would you summarize your professional journey?
I’ve worked globally for both MSD, a top pharmaceutical company worldwide, and as an executive for a clinical-stage biotech company. The experience of guiding companies from early drug discovery through clinical development and across all stages of the commercial lifecycle has given me a unique perspective as a leader in the biopharmaceutical sector to support MSD’s mission in Hungary.
Could you elaborate on this mission?
MSD is one of the world’s leading researchdriven healthcare companies, committed to discovering, developing, and delivering innovative medicines and vaccines that improve lives. Globally, we have a legacy of more than 130 years, and in Hungary MSD has been present for over three decades. We provide access to breakthrough therapies e.g. in oncology, vaccines, cardiology, and infectious diseases. From our local distribution center, we make a regional impact supplying for 14 countries. We are also proud to be one of the leading players in clinical trials in the country.
Beyond medicines, we focus on high-value partnerships that strengthen prevention, screening, healthcare digitalization, and ensure that innovation translates into real-
GENERIC ASSOCIATION
WARNS OF GROWING PRESSURE
ON
LOW COST MEDICINES AMID OF HIGH LEVEL OF TAXATION AND MARKET DISTORTIONS
Generic and biosimilar medicines play a vital role in keeping healthcare affordable and sustainable in Hungary, with generic drugs accounting for nearly 80% of reimbursed medicine boxes sold in 2024 while using only 41% of the reimbursement budget. Yet despite saving the National Health Insurance Fund more than HUF 1 trillion between 2010 and 2024, the Generic Association warns that excessive taxation and market pressures are threatening the longterm viability of the sector. The organization is calling for differentiated tax rules, a review of EU environmental directives that could unfairly burden generics, and stronger public awareness of the value of affordable medicines.
PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURERS
AbbVie Gyógyszerkereskedelmi Kft. www abbvie hu
Gyógyszerkereskedelmi Kft. www amgen co hu
Aracil Corma
Kalotai
Péter Andreidesz, Béla Szabad, Katalin Szilágyi
Judit Havass, Gábor Papp, Roger Messerli
1095 Budapest, Lechner Ödön fasor 7 , (1) 455-8600, info hu@abbvie com
1123 Budapest, Alkotás utca 53 , (30) 870-8603, –
4440 Tiszavasvári, Kabay János út 29 , (42) 521-000, hr tv@sunpharma com
1054 Budapest, Szabadság tér 7 , (1) 354-4700, office.hu@amgen.com
