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Viatris Country Manager elected UK Trade Association, BGMA, Vice-Chair

• Matthew Salzmann takes up new association role with immediate effect.

The British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA), the representative trade association for off-patent medicines has elected Matthew Salzmann as its new Vice-Chair with immediate effect.

Originally from Australia, Matt is the UK Country Manager at Viatris, a global pharmaceutical company operating in 165 countries, having served last year approximately 1 billion patients worldwide.

Matt takes the role in a context where the BGMA is following closely the operationalisation of the recently announced (20th November) Voluntary scheme for branded medicines, pricing, access and growth (VPAG) concluded between Government and ABPI.

Over the past year, the UK Government has engaged more than ever with the BGMA, suppliers of the majority of medicines families use daily in the UK. The industry has welcomed the opportunity for stakeholders to share solutions and experiences to make medicines supply more stable and future proof in the UK.

“We continue to take every opportunity afforded to engage constructively with Government to support competition and fully recognise the value that off-patent medicines continue to bring to patients and the NHS. In this sense, given the significant increase to tax on established older medicines, we are again using our collaborative approach to propose improvements and safe-guards in the system, in specific scenarios, so that patients get sustainable access to their critical medicines”, Matt Salzmann said.

Off-patent sector provides 85% of NHS medicines, while representing only one third of NHS medicine cost, therefore is already delivering savings to the healthcare systems.

In his role of Vice-Chair at BGMA, Salzmann’s focus is to work with the membership on advancing several critical agendas. In times of medicines shortages and high inequalities related to access to medicines in the UK, BGMA is resolutely committed to working in partnership with key stakeholders – the NHS, healthcare professionals, policy makers, clinical societies, patient associations, academia - to ensure access to affordable and sustainable medicines for patients and the NHS.

“I would like us to contribute at making the UK a globally attractive environment for companies to invest in and launch off-patent medicines. Swift licensing processes and streamlined NHS stock allocations are essential components of this goal”, Salzmann concluded.

Mark Samuels, chief executive of the BGMA, said: “We are very fortunate to have someone of Matthew’s caliber take up this position. He is already an active and astute contributor to the BGMA and we are looking forward to even more of his input via this leadership role into the issues that matter the most to our industry.”

The current chair of the BGMA is Diane DiGangi-Trench, who is the UK country head for Sandoz. She succeeded Pete Kelly.

ENDS

For further information about the BGMA please contact Jeremy Durrant on 07792918648 or email Jeremy.durrant@britishgenerics.co.uk

About the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA)

• The BGMA comprises members of the generic manufacturing supply industry, who account for approximately 85% of the total UK generic market by volume.
• They supply 4 out of 5 drugs used by the NHS.
• BGMA members include eight of the ten largest medicine suppliers to the NHS.
• A key feature of the strong generics industry in the UK is that it introduces competition to the supply of prescription medicines, making them more affordable to the NHS and enhancing their availability to patients.
• According to NHS figures (NHS Digital), more than a billion items are prescribed generically every year. The competition provided by generic medicines saves the NHS around £ 15 billion annually.