Roche welcomes Health Select Committee report

Auckland – 8 June 2011 – Roche Products New Zealand welcomes today’s release of the Health Select Committee’s report as a milestone opportunity for New Zealand to become recognised as a world leader in clinical research. The report soundly documents the steps that need to be taken by the New Zealand government, clinical researchers, District Health Boards and industry – all working together – to ensure New Zealand can secure as many benefits as possible from its clinical research activity.

As the single largest investor in clinical research in New Zealand, investing close to $NZ15m this year, Roche is able to attest to the wide-ranging benefits that clinical research brings to the nation. Patients benefit from access to new treatments and a high standard of care, the health system benefits as the country retains health professionals wanting to work at the forefront of new medicine and the local economy benefits from inward investment.

“Many of the Committee’s recommendations are pragmatic improvements, which will cost little to implement but will make a huge difference in making New Zealand a more attractive place for clinical research investment,” said Jan Campbell, Medical Affairs Director, Roche Products New Zealand. “But there are also some big picture recommendations that will be crucial for success in the long term, such as identifying a single government agency to provide leadership on this issue.”

Roche is currently conducting new medicine trials in New Zealand for a range of diseases including breast cancer, melanoma, hepatitis C and metabolic disorders. Roche will continue to work with the New Zealand government and health sector to actively support the initiatives arising from the report and to ensure New Zealand continues to attract international research.

About Roche

Roche Products (New Zealand) Ltd is the pharmaceutical division of Roche in New Zealand. Based in Onehunga, Auckland, it employs 70 staff in the areas of clinical research, medical information, product distribution, sales and marketing. Roche is the leading provider of oncology medicines in New Zealand as well as providing innovative medicines in the treatment of renal anaemia, hepatitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world’s largest biotechnology company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche’s personalised healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. In 2009, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested almost 10 billion Swiss francs in R&D. The group posted sales of 49.1 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche has a majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information: www.roche.com.

ENDS

© Scoop Media