Ten Steps to Shape the Future of the Healthcare Sector

10 Points to Advance the Healthcare Sector into the Future The Pharmaceutical Industry Employers' Association and Turgut İlaçları jointly organized an online collaborative meeting on R&D Strategies in Medical Science and the Healthcare Sector and Global Health, bringing together valuable stakeholders from the pharmaceutical and medical industries. The meeting, moderated by Hakan Güldağ, focused on 7 agenda items, primarily addressing "What are R&D efforts targeting in global medical science and the healthcare sector in this new era, and how will these efforts shape the future of global health?" During the meeting, the effects of R&D work and innovation deficiencies in our country were discussed, and a 10-point roadmap for solutions was developed. Participants at the meeting outlined the 10 parameters of the roadmap that will carry medical science and the healthcare sector into the future as follows:

1. The state must provide more effective support for drug development processes requiring high investment

R&D-intensive products developed and manufactured in Turkey, particularly biosimilar drugs, should be supported through legislation tailored to our country's conditions, and the state should provide sufficient cash financial support for processes requiring high investment. We know that our state has implemented projects in this regard. We believe that prioritizing biotechnology across all public policy areas—from R&D to licensing, from pricing to reimbursement and investment support—is essential. The state's localization policies in the R&D field are also very important. Protective and development-oriented regulations, prioritization, technical and scientific administrative structures within the relevant authority, financing and R&D funds, intellectual property rights, and process management are all critical.

2. Increased international cooperation will make Turkey a globally effective player

Established and planned technology centers and technoparks, along with science, financing, and incubation centers to be created in these areas, will greatly contribute to development. In this context, support packages with long-term commitments and adequate resources should be created. Establishing entrepreneurship programs, supporting start-ups, and welcoming international cooperation will enable our country to become a more effective global player.

3. Incentives should be developed to prevent brain drain

Preventing the emigration of qualified personnel, which is already insufficient in the sector, is of great importance. State-supported but independently operated research institutes can be established in Turkey to retain well-trained young people within the country. Additionally, many incentive methods in line with common sense can be considered, such as requiring student training in project calls, providing scholarships to successful students, and ensuring future employment. We should initiate reverse brain drain through public-university-industry cooperation.

4. Companies that effectively use databases will gain rapid decision-making capability

Currently, there is a very large database in the healthcare field globally. In general, the pharmaceutical industry has become a sector generating massive volumes of data, even compared to the recent past, and this trend is expected to strengthen and continue. When companies decide to focus on new areas, they can gain the ability to make fast and sound decisions by effectively using this data. Turkey has significant advantages in these areas because there is a digitally active young generation. These young people are also very interested in artificial intelligence. This field is important both for Turkey and the world.

5. Developing effective treatments should gain importance

One of the opportunities ahead of the pharmaceutical sector is developing effective treatments alongside new molecular development targets. In other words, new combinations using equivalent drugs and added new indications can make Turkey more successful in this field. As a result of these research efforts, large funds may flow from abroad, providing substantial support to our R&D work and simultaneously turning export competition in our favor.

6. Low-cost drug policy is the main reason for inadequate equity in the sector

When we compare ourselves with countries that have achieved results in R&D, we see that the real sector's equity is insufficient. One of the main reasons for this is the low-cost drug policy. Instead of a policy of having the cheapest drug, the goal should be to become a leading country in the pharmaceutical industry and a major contributor to the trade balance through newly developed drugs, particularly biosimilars.

7. Lessons can be learned from South Korea's example

South Korea supported local companies over the past 25 years through a biotechnology policy based on public, academic, and private sector cooperation, allocating very significant funds to this field annually. In Turkey, support to investors in biosimilar drug development also needs to increase. Currently, support given to the pharmaceutical industry is mostly in the form of tax exemptions. It is difficult to encourage investors with support in this category. Cash financial support is important for success in this field. As in South Korea's example, biosimilar drugs developed and manufactured in the country should also be supported through regulations.

8. Equivalent drugs should be developed to eliminate import dependency

Turkey's priority should be to seek ways to reduce pharmaceutical imports, a matter that will also provide economic benefits for the country. Turkey will achieve success in this field through the development of equivalent drugs and biosimilars. This is the most urgent matter in the R&D field.

9. Support for drugs developed in Turkey must be increased

Support given to the Turkish pharmaceutical industry is mostly in the form of tax exemptions and tax incentives. That is, it is difficult to encourage investors with tax incentives that will be obtained after a product is developed, years of investment are made, and the product is launched on the market. For this reason, it is essential that the state develop a more effective support policy in this field, which requires large-scale investment along with new business processes.

10. Cooperation with the scientific diaspora abroad is essential

There are many scientists worldwide who want to make new breakthroughs professionally and are seeking new structures to do so. Structures need to be created where these scientists can work safely and focus on long-term objectives. Turkey has a rapidly growing scientific diaspora, with tremendous momentum especially among the young generation. It is possible to build more positive relationships with this young generation and even enable many of them to return and work in their country or collaborate with it (by implementing some easily solvable logistical arrangements).