“Within the economy, the emphasis is increasingly being placed on added value, and products that have been developed in Hungary; this tendency is also corroborated by the decision of Swiss pharmaceutical industry company F. Hoffman-La Roche to bring its European Pharmacology Centre to Budaörs”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Parliamentary State Secretary, Levente Magyar said at the press conference to announce the investment project.

The State Secretary told reporters that 25 new workplaces that generate very high added value are being created as a result of the fact that Hungary has won the pharmaceutical industry research & development project. Referring to the company’s decision, he emphasised that the world’s highest quality employers appreciate to this day that Hungarian grey matter is among the best in the world. “The company has been present in Hungary for almost 35 years and now employs some 1000 people”, he added.

Switzerland’s Ambassador to Hungary Peter Burkhart spoke about the fact that the pharmaceutical industry has been one of Switzerland’s outstandingly important sectors of industry for many years, and the world class quality of the Swiss pharmaceutical industry is thanks to the country’s continuously innovating and investing pharmaceutical industry enterprises. He added that investments such as the new European Pharmacology Centre are key steps to enabling Hungary to be among the world’s most innovative countries.

“Pharmaceutical research also provides a response to the most serious challenges of 21st century life”, he added. Managing Director of Roche Hungary Ltd. Irma Veberic told reporters that Roche is committed to Hungary and to Hungarian patients, adding that the company opened its Hungarian office in 1984, and now employs over 1000 people in the pharmaceutical, diagnostics and diabetes sectors, and in the Roche Shared Service Centre and its European Registration Centre.

“The European Pharmacology Centre is intended to perform tasks that require a high level of professional expertise, and significantly contributes to the safety and welfare of patients throughout Europe”, Ms. Verebic added. The Pharmacovigilance Centre began operation in Roche’s office in Budaörs, and is tasked with processing the side effect reports submitted from the countries of the European Union and the Balkans (a total of 29 countries). The continuous monitoring and reporting of side effects is required by law, and facilitates the safe use of pharmaceuticals.

(MTI)