Value Added Medicines

Value Added Medicines (VAMs) are pharmaceutical products based on known, existing active pharmaceutical ingredients that have been enhanced to deliver improved patient outcomes, address unmet healthcare needs, or optimize healthcare system efficiency. These enhancements can involve various strategies, including drug reformulation (altering composition, stability, bioavailability, solubility, or ease of administration), new routes of administration, modified dosages, combinations of two or more molecules (drug-drug or drug-device combinations), or repositioning existing drugs for new therapeutic indications. The goal of VAMs is not to discover new molecules but to improve the performance of established ones, leading to benefits such as better adherence to therapies, increased safety, improved efficiency for healthcare personnel, expanded treatment options, and a better cost-benefit ratio. In Europe, VAMs have also been referred to as "Super generics" or "Generics+". Organizations like the Italian VAM Group (part of EGUALIA, formerly Assogenerici) advocate for the development and recognition of VAMs.

Other names

Super genericsGenerics+