Cooperation among stakeholders for the sustainability of the new pharmaceutical paradigm in Italy

The XXIII National Conference on Pharmaceuticals, held in Catania on February 27-28, 2025, represented a key event for multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral dialogue on the pharmaceutical governance in Italy, with a particular focus on stakeholders’ cooperation. Structured around a plenary session and four thematic focus groups, the event aimed to critically and proactively analyse the main challenges related to the assessment and access processes in Italy. The focus groups discussions addressed four priority areas: equitable and timely access to medicines; transparency and collaborative governance; assessment of drug value; the implementation of the European Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Regulation.Each focus group followed a structured methodology based on the analysis of the current landscape, identification of systemic gaps, and formulation of concrete, actionable proposals. The Conference gathered over 70 experts from 30 pharmaceutical companies along with academic institutions, highlighting the growing commitment to redefining pharmaceutical policy in a more participatory, integrated, and sustainable way. The outcomes revealed a strong thematic and methodological convergence across the groups, emphasizing the need to overcome fragmented and sectoral approaches aimed to a cohesive, transparent and equitable governance model. The proposals that emerged outline a strategic roadmap for modernizing the Italian regulatory system, by promoting faster and fairer access to medicines, strengthening transparency and stakeholder engagement, updating value assessment frameworks, and effectively integrating the new European HTA Regulation.