Planning Ahead for Access to Medicines: Strategy to Integrate Access as a Core Driver of a Vaccines Company

Abstract

Pharmaceutical companies are investing a considerable amount of effort and resources into access to medicines–related initiatives. However, the manner in which access to medicines is framed and understood may differ between companies, as may its outcomes. This project is based on the idea that access to medicines programs need to evolve towards a more integrated approach that implies incorporating access provisions in the early stages of product development. By analyzing how Takeda Pharma conceptualizes and operationalizes access, this study aims to develop an adequate access strategy for its vaccines unit. To that end, a series of interviews with employees and external experts on vaccines and access have been conducted. Documentation analysis has also been performed: review of internal data on processes together with the access-related information generated by the company, as well as the outcome of the biannual Access to Medicines Index report. The outcome of this initial research phase opens the door to the definition of a strategy for Takeda Vaccines that aims at integrating access concepts into the different stages of product development with the objective of strengthening its approach to access to medicines. This strategy needs to be adapted to the specificity of the company; therefore, it is important to understand not only its standard operating procedures and internal organization, but also how its culture and vision integrate and align with access concepts. This research proposes incremental changes in existing procedures and systems that will lead to structural changes in the way in which the company manages access to vaccines. This implementation will potentially induce a cultural change in the organization that will culminate in the embodiment of access as a core part of the business model of Takeda Vaccines.