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Dutch expertise in the field of drug development is too fragmented, with researchers’ efforts to get their discoveries to the patient being frustrated. National coordination is therefore needed to support researchers and promote cooperation. That will make drug development faster and more effective and give patients better access to new therapies.
According to the report, the process of developing new drugs is costly, full of obstacles, and takes a long time. There may be as many as 15 years between the initial idea for a new drug to its being administered to patients. During that process, up to ten thousand other prospective drugs may have been rejected, at a cost of up to EUR 2 billion. Innovative technologies have created new opportunities for drug development in recent years, but they have not always led to new therapies, lower costs, or quicker access for the patient.