Dr Jack Watters - European Medical Vice President of Pfizer

Question: Pfizer has just conducted a survey on the issue of ageing. What were the main findings?

Dr Watters: This was a survey of 2500 people in five countries aged over 55. The main findings were both positive and negative.

The positive findings were that people felt they were better off health-wise than their parents. They exercise more and they felt that their doctors listen to them.

The negative findings were that many however felt more isolated than possibly their previous generation experienced. More isolated from their families and more isolated from their support groups.

We asked across the board about attitudes to ageing and one of the ones that I found really very interesting is that most people who are in a relationship of some kind rely on their partner for support in health matters as they get older.

Equally interesting in that was the percentage of people over the age of 55 who enjoy an active sex life - 25 per cent.

One of the most striking findings came when we asked them what one thing would improve their quality of life, a clear majority said better healthcare. This was by far the biggest percentage.

Yes people wanted more money and all sorts of different things, but this was their main priority.

Question: This was a pan-European survey. How does Britain compare to other European countries?

Dr Watters: The finding many people have picked up on is that over-55s in the UK are more likely than their European counterparts to work beyond their retirement age but the vast majority of them think society undervalues their skills and experience - and UK "third agers" feel this much more than people over 55 in other European countries. So, here in the UK, older people are our fastest growing resource but all this expertise is going untapped.

The research also showed striking similarities in views of older people across Europe: most take regular exercise (at least six out of ten in every country surveyed) and yet health remains a top worry for older people in every country.

Question: Why is Pfizer making this push on the issue of healthy ageing?

Dr Watters: Well there are several reasons.

As the largest pharmaceutical company in the world, we play a key role in the provision of healthcare. The UK's ageing population will have significant impacts and we believe we have a responsibility to raise awareness of what these will be. We also believe we can contribute to the solution.

Secondly, we've been working at healthy ageing for decades by discovering and developing medicines that enable people arrive at old age in a healthy state.

Healthy ageing is about making sure that people age healthily so that they do not arrive at old age in a frail state. It's about working on the treatable illnesses identified during middle age. This is something we've been doing for a very long time.

What is happening now is that there is a demographic shift which means the population is getting older. The birth rate is dropping and people are living longer.

Something like one in three people is now over the age of 50 in the United Kingdom - about 19 or 20 million people.

These are people who have incredibly productive lives, but if we don't prevent the diseases that start to show up in their 50s and 60s, their ability to contribute to society will be decreased, productivity in the workforce will fall and the burden on the health systems will increase.

The other thing that is very important to remember is that about two thirds of the people in hospital are over the age of 65. This means an incredible amount of resource is needed to help them.

Pfizer can help to tackle this by continuing to make innovative medicines. However, the purpose of all our work is defeated if people don't have access to the innovative medicines that can keep them healthy. We want to actively engage in the debate with government, patient groups and healthcare professionals, in fact all the people who make the decisions to ensure that people have access to the medications which can improve their lives.

Question: What would you like the government to do?

Dr Watters: First, we would like government to work actively with us, patient groups, healthcare professionals and other stakeholder to tackle the challenges of an ageing population. A start has been made (eg. National Service Framework for Older People) but so much more needs to be done and we hope the government will recognise that we have a valuable role to play in helping to improve healthcare of older people in the UK.

And, to make this happen, then clearly we would like the government to think about the long-term value of medicines and not just their short-term cost.

I think ministers need to firmly understand that healthcare delivery goes across the lifespan of people. Most government decisions are made over a matter of a couple of years or so between elections and the UK is no different to anywhere else in the world.

Drugs and medicines take up to 20 years to develop. You cannot make healthcare decisions in the short term - you have to step back and see the bigger picture.

One of Pfizer's key priorities is to get governments to realise that if you're going to make a difference to the population, you will see the difference in 15 years' time - not in time for the next election.

As developers of medicines, we see things from a long term point of view - as do patient groups. Persuading governments to take a similar view is very important to us.

Question: Pfizer employs thousands of people. Your plant in Sandwich for example is vital for the local economy in Kent. What more could the government do to improve the business environment in the UK?

Dr Watters: I think the government needs to fully recognise the contribution companies like Pfizer make to both the UK as a whole and the communities in which they are based. There is much good we do that goes unrecognised.

I also think that, wherever possible, innovation needs to be rewarded. It's an expensive business and the barriers are often set too high.

While the UK government has succeeded in creating a better environment for scientific innovation than other European governments, it needs to continue its work to ensure the UK remains competitive globally. Otherwise, the trend of companies moving R and D facilities to the US, will continue, to the detriment of the UK population, its economy and healthcare.

Question: You're a multi-national with offices all over Europe. What was Pfizer's reaction to the announcement on the euro?

Dr Watters: Well I'm based at our headquarters in New York, but am responsible for Europe and therefore I spend a lot of time over here.

We have operations in every major European country, which means the reality is that we are already Euro-based organization - all of our transactions get reported in euros. The announcement wasn't a surprise, but the key thing from Pfizer's perspective is that we are equipped to make a smooth transition when any decision is made.

Question: The departure of Alan Milburn was a major surprise. What was Pfizer's response to his going and John Reid's appointment?

Dr Watters: Well John Reid is a fellow countryman of mine and he is clearly a strong person.

I think we were all surprised about Alan Milburn's departure, but we welcome the appointment of John Reid and look forward to working closely with him - as we did with his predecessor. Our appeal to him would be to try and take a longer-term view of UK healthcare, because making a difference for people, and enabling them to lead longer and more productive lives, requires looking beyond the next couple of years or so.