The International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA), representing global manufacturers of generic and biosimilar medicines, announced today that Jonathan Kimball, Vice President of Trade and International Affairs of the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM), Vice-Chair IGBA and Vice Chair of the IGBA International Trade and Intellectual Property Committee in 2022, is taking over the position of IGBA Chair for 2023 from Vivian Frittelli, Chief Executive of Generic and Biosimilar Medicines of Southern Africa (GBM). Adrian van den Hoven, Director General of Medicines for Europe, steps in as IGBA Vice-Chair.

The global generic medicines industry supplies most of the world’s antibiotic medicine and is aware of the current surge in demand of these products that is leading to shortages. The surge is driven by an unusually high rate of respiratory conditions and infections that are occurring as we exit the most acute phase of the Covid-19 pandemic and, in many countries, an unusually high rate of respiratory conditions and infections among children. Demand has also increased due to changes in prescribing protocols, leading to a much higher number of prescriptions being issued for certain antibiotic medicines.

The International Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association (IGBA) today released a report identifying key factors affecting the security of the global supply of generic prescription medicines.