Created in 1968 as a non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO), the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (IFPMA) represents, through its member associations and companies, the international worldwide research-based pharmaceutical industry and manufacturers of prescribed medicines.

Member Associations
The members of IFPMA are national or regional pharmaceutical industry associations in over 60 countries of both the industrialised and developing world. The conditions for membership of the Federation include commitments by the association, on behalf of its members, to good manufacturing practices and acceptance of the provisions of the IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices.

Member Companies
As of November 2004, pharmaceutical companies can become members of IFPMA. The conditions for a pharmaceutical company's membership of the Federation include:

• its undertaking substantial research and development of innovative medicines and vaccines in relation to total activities;
• its adoption of and adherence to the IFPMA Marketing Code;
• its support of adequate and effective intellectual property protection and science-based regulatory practices worldwide;
• its membership in the IFPMA association in the country of its Headquarters, where such an association exists.

The pharmaceutical industry, represented by IFPMA, is committed to the research and development and quality manufacturing of innovative therapeutic medicines that save lives, reduce overall health care costs and improve the quality of life of people around the world.

The industry strives to create a global environment that fosters: innovation in preventing and curing diseases; drug regulation that expedites approvals of new chemical and biological treatments for patients and assures the availability of genuine quality medicines; patient access to innovative therapies and protection from substandard and counterfeit products; market-based competition in the health care sector; and, the dissemination of drug information and ethical promotion of drugs to medical professionals and, where legal, to patients.

The IFPMA membership believes that a viable, research-based pharmaceutical industry operating in an open market -- with adequate and effective protection of intellectual property in line with other industries and with regulatory policies designed to ensure the rapid introduction of new chemical and biological products -- is essential to patients' well-being and to economic development of all countries around the world.

The IFPMA carries out its mission through:

• fact-gathering and analysis of the policy issues of major importance to industry;
• advocating policies supporting intellectual property protection, market competition, drug regulation and access to information about new therapies;
• encouraging measures consistent with the objectives of industry and patients stated above;
• co-ordinating and leading member association and industry efforts to achieve an environment conducive to therapeutic innovation and competition;
• providing timely information to its members; and,
• diligently overseeing the implementation of the IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices.

IFPMA is a non-for-profit and non-governmental organisation that gives much emphasis to co-operation with UN agencies and other international organisations concerned with health and trade-related issues.

IFPMA has achieved consultative status with the United Nations and international organisations such as: the World Health Organisation, (WHO), the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the World Trade Organisation (WTO) the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Council of Europe.

IFPMA has five working committees:

• Innovation, Intelectual Property and Trade Committee (IIPT)
• Partnerships, Public Health and Advocacy Committee (PPHA)
• Health Care Systems Committee (HCS)
• Regulatory Policy and Technical Standards Committee (RPTS)
• Biologicals and Vaccines Committee (B&V)

Ad hoc groups are convened when required, to undertake specific tasks, such as the preparation of publications and symposia.

The objectives of the Federation, as set out in the Article 2 of the IFPMA Statutes are:

• to encourage a global policy environment that is conducive to innovation in medicine, both therapeutic and preventative, for the benefit of patients around the world;
• to promote and support principles of ethical conduct and practices voluntarily agreed upon as exemplified by the IFPMA Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices;
• to promote and support the adoption of high standards of manufacturing practices and quality assurance for pharmaceutical products;
• to contribute industry expertise and foster collaborative relationships and partnerships with international organizations, national institutions, governments and non-governmental organizations that are dedicated to the improvement of public health, especially in developing and emerging countries;

• to assure regular contact and experience-sharing and coordinate the efforts of its members towards the realisation of the above objectives.