Grupo de Trabalho Mais Economia e Saúde

In response to the challenge launched in September 2022 by the Minister of Economy and Maritime Affairs, António Costa Silva, Health Cluster Portugal (HCP) promoted the creation of a Working Group with the aim of identifying potential constraints to investment attraction and to the creation of economic value in the health sector.

The Working Group, which brought together business associations and professional health bodies, as well as leading figures and companies in the sector, was established in close coordination with the Ministry of Health. It included representatives from INFARMED – National Authority of Medicines and Health Products, I.P., the Executive Board of the National Health Service (SNS), SPMS – Shared Services of the Ministry of Health, E.P.E., and ACSS – Central Administration of the Health System, I.P., as well as from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education.

In February 2023, this first Working Group presented the report “Towards the Development of an Industrial Health Policy”, available below, which sets out a set of short-term action proposals aimed at facilitating and incentivising investment, competitiveness and the internationalisation of the health sector.

In view of the relevance of the work carried out, the Minister of Economy and Maritime Affairs, the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, and the Minister of Health determined, through Joint Order No. 4613/2023 of 17 April, the establishment of a new working group with the mission of ensuring the continuation and implementation of the report “Towards the Development of an Industrial Health Policy”* and its corresponding action proposals. This group was designated the “More Economy and Health Working Group” (GT-MES).

Building on the same guiding principles as its predecessor, this second Working Group focused on delivering concrete and feasible proposals (GT-MES proposals presented below), which were submitted to the three ministries that signed the Joint Order establishing the group. These proposals were formally presented on 5 February 2024.