Access to Medicine Index

European Drug Companies Lead access to "Medicine Index"

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Independent Ranking Shows More Transparency, More Programs for Low-income Countries

European pharmaceutical companies outcompete their U.S. counterparts in making medicines available to people in developing countries, but their lead is shrinking, according to the second Access to Medicine Index, released today.

The Access to Medicine Index ranks 20 of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies on their efforts to make sure that medicines are made for, and reach, people in developing countries. The Index encourages drug companies to compete and offers investors and others a way to compare their social responsibility records.

The Access to Medicine Index 2010 identifies GlaxoSmithKline (U.K.) as current industry leader in improving access to needed medicines. Following in its footsteps are Merck & Co. (U.S.), Novartis (Switzerland), Gilead Sciences (U.S.), and Sanofi-Aventis (France).

Also, generic drug makers, who do less research but produce low-cost off-patent drugs, now have a separate ranking. Ranbaxy Laboratories (India) and Cipla (India) top that list.

The Access to Medicine Index was created by the Access to Medicine Foundation, a Netherlands-based non-profit, and was researched by RiskMetrics ESG Analytics, part of MSCI Inc., a global provider of investment decision support tools.

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For more information, see the Index 2010 Press Kit.