In addition to improving health and lower costs, Lechleiter highlighted the economic benefits of pharmaceutical research, which in Germany currently provides more than 100,000 jobs, generates exports surpassing 40 billion Euros, and accounts for more than 10 percent of all R&D investments in the country.

Lechleiter also weighed in on current proposals in Germany calling for mandatory negotiations between pharmaceutical companies and the country's sick funds.  He expressed Lilly's support of contracting options that focus on improving quality and efficiency of care but warned that mandatory contracting focused narrowly on cost and rebates will stunt the development of innovative new medicines.

He also noted that while prescription pharmaceuticals' access to the German market is better than in most European countries, market penetration of innovative products five years after introduction in Germany is among the lowest in Europe, implying that many newer medicines typically never reach the patients who could benefit from them.

Lechleiter concluded by saying that Lilly would continue to advocate for policies that will enable medical innovation to flourish.

"Innovation is not a panacea for the challenges facing our health care systems, but it is hard to see any way out of the current crisis “ and I don't think that's too strong a word “ without innovation.  Indeed innovation needs to be the purpose of health care reforms in both the United States and Germany."

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company