Medicines Australia CEO Resigns After A 'Challenging' Year
This article was originally published in Scrip
Tim James has resigned as CEO of the pharmaceutical industry body Medicines Australia, effective from January 2016. The search for a successor will begin next year.
James, who had been in the post only since September 2014 having previously worked in both government and the pharmaceutical industry, said it had been a "tremendous honor and privilege to lead this innovative industry in Australia."
No reason was given for his departure, although James said he was "ready for a new challenge in the new year and eager to be able to lead and shape reform in other sectors of the economy during this era of disruption and innovation. I will make an announcement about my future in due course."
It's been something of a game of musical chairs at the industry body, with the top two positions now vacant. Last month it was announced that Wes Cook, managing director of Boehringer Ingelheim Australia, was taking over as interim chair following the retirement of Martin Cross, pending the appointment of a permanent replacement.
Commenting on James' departure, Cook said he had been "a passionate advocate for the industry during his tenure through a most challenging period and he departs with our deep thanks and best wishes."
Among Medicines Australia's achievements under James' leadership, the association pointed to the following:
- Successfully finalizing negotiations for the latest edition of the MA industry code of conduct and smoothly implementing its new measures.
- Bringing MA into the digital and social media era with a new website and social platform.
- Seeking and supporting recent positive measures for the sector including the Industry Growth Centre, Health Industry Forum, Innovation Statement, Free Trade Agreements, and the Medical Research Future Fund.
- Fostering improved engagement with patient organizations including the launch of the updated edition of the "Working Together Guide".
Not All Plain Sailing
But it hasn't all been plain sailing at the association over the past year or so, particularly in terms of its relations with the authorities. In June 2015 the health minister decided not to sign a strategic agreement that would have provided the industry with some policy stability over the next five years in return for agreeing to support medicines access and sustainability measures including price cuts to medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
James said at the time it was "extremely disappointing" that the minister, Sussan Ley, had "closed down the negotiations and refused to sign the proposed agreement" and was not listening to "widespread concerns about patient safety and the need for some stability for the local medicines industry." The fact that the government had announced "significant, unexpected cuts to medicines" on the PBS and will not provide any guarantee that more cuts aren't coming "has sent a shiver down the spine of this industry," he declared.
A key factor in the minister's decision was the question of biosimilar substitution by pharmacists. Medicines Australia had some concerns about the issue and wanted to discuss it outside the strategic agreement, but the minister refused, and biosimilar substitution was duly introduced.
Medicines Australia was not happy with the move, saying that the prescribing doctor needed to be involved in any decision to move a patient from one biologic to another. But at the beginning of this month, Hospira's version of Johnson & Johnson's Remicade (infliximab) became the first biosimilar in Australia to be "a"-flagged, meaning it can be substituted for the originator drug.