• Stefan Oschmann, Member of the Executive Board and CEO Pharma at Merck, takes over as President of IFPMA from John Lechleiter, Chairman, President and CEO Eli Lilly & Company.

• New President to head up work of IFPMA as it engages with international organizations and global health stakeholders to find effective and sustainable solutions to global health policy issues with a focus on innovation and access to quality pharmaceuticals

New York, 4 November, 2014 – Stefan Oschmann, Member of the Executive Board and CEO Pharma at Merck, was elected new President of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) for a two year term. He succeeds John Lechleiter, Chairman, President and CEO at Eli Lilly & Company.

Based in Geneva, IFPMA engages with the global health community to find effective and sustainable solutions to global health policy issues with a focus on innovation and access to quality pharmaceuticals. IFPMA holds formal consultative status with the United Nations and its specialized agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). IFPMA focuses on a wide range of issues including access to innovation and intellectual property, regulatory frameworks, sustainable health policies, and ethical practices and transparency.

“I am honored to be taking on this role at a time when the international community is striving to meet non-communicable diseases targets set by the World Health Organization, and when discussions are shaping a new set of development goals for future generations, including for global health”, said Stefan Oschmann, incoming President of IFPMA. “Current challenges around NCDs and infectious diseases demonstrate the need for stronger health systems as well as for local innovative solutions in low and middle income countries. As an industry, we will continue to explore how the research-based pharmaceutical industry can sustainably meet the needs and expectations of patients and societies, building on our transformational partnerships to support health goals in these countries”. Stefan Oschmann will be building on the work of John Lechleiter, outgoing president of IFPMA and Chairman, President and CEO of Eli Lilly & Company, working closely with other global health actors on accelerating sustainable access across the world.

During Lechleiter’s mandate, IFPMA has launched a number of groundbreaking partnerships, such as those targeting NCDs with PAHO Foundation and International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC), and the Consensus Framework for Ethical Collaboration with patients and health professions organizations. Under Lechleiter IFPMA was amid the founding partners of the “Fight the Fakes” campaign, a global effort to combating fake medicines that today counts 27 members. John Lechleiter said: “I believe passionately that the research-based industry has a crucial role to play, making sure future generations can benefit from the fruits of innovation as have previous generations. The IFPMA is fulfilling an important role in bringing this message