Access to Medicines Index

In 2016, we topped the Access to Medicine Index for the fifth consecutive time since it began in 2008. The index is an independent measure of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies’ efforts to improve access to healthcare in developing countries.

Described as “the most access-oriented company”, GSK is recognized for a clear strategy on increasing access to medicines that aligns with its corporate strategy. We are leading our peers in three of the index’s seven categories: research and development; pricing, manufacturing and distribution; and product donations. We also made significant strides in capacity development.

The index cites company-wide ownership for access as a key strength, together with our commitment to research and development for low and middle-income countries and high-priority medical needs. GSK CEO Sir Andrew Witty commented that: “The fundamental changes we have made to our business model enable us to make our products as available and affordable as possible while generating the returns we need to sustain our business and invest in research.”

Since the previous assessment in 2014, achievements include the progression of our malaria candidate vaccine, the creation of our Africa Open Lab for non-communicable diseases, and the extension of equitable pricing strategies for more products. We are delighted by this recognition of our achievements to date, but we know there is more to do and we remain focused on extending access to healthcare through the programmes outlined in our new report.

Read more: GSK on Access to Medicine Index