Introduction

The Pharmaceutical & Healthcare sectors are in a state of great change, with opportunities created by new generations of drugs and healthcare solutions, and the growth of emerging markets; but also fundamental threats to traditional business models, including pricing pressure in mature markets, slower pipelines for new drugs, challenges to the quality of clinical trials and campaigns for greater access to medicines in both developed and developing countries.

The Pharmaceutical Shareowners’ Forum (PSF) has been convened as an informal discussion forum for institutional investors and asset owners to keep up to date with developments in the sector, particularly those linked to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance.  It follows on from the Pharmaceutical Shareowners Group which was created in 2003 by a group of 15 European asset managers to develop a common position on the issue of access to medicines.

An important feature of the PSF is that it works in an informal and flexible way, and is not governed by extensive terms of reference.  The PSF provides a framework for interested parties to meet, and maintains a list of participants and contact details to facilitate discussion, information exchange and action by participants.