Tineke Van hooland appointed Managing Director of Medaxes at a pivotal time for Belgian medicines policy

“Generic medicines and biosimilars are essential for keeping high-quality care accessible and affordable, however their value is still too often underestimated. Together with the team and our members, I want to ensure that this contribution is more acknowledged, by policymakers and other stakeholders.” 

“Through constructive and well-founded policy proposals, I aim to further strengthen Medaxes’ position as a reliable partner in dialogue and to help shape a sustainable medicines policy, to ensure that patients in our country continue to have access to the treatments they need.” 

— Tineke Van hooland

Tineke Van hooland is a qualified industrial pharmacist and has been active in the healthcare and life sciences sectors for over twenty years. She has held managerial and board positions at multiple organisations including biopharmaceutical companies, bio.be, essenscia, EuropaBio and the National Institute for Radioelements (IRE). 

As chair of the Board of Directors at AZ Oudenaarde, she also has first-hand knowledge of the hospital sector. This broad background in medicines, health policy and healthcare is closely aligned with the challenges currently facing Medaxes’ members. 

Van hooland has also been politically active. She was elected as a municipal councillor in Oudenaarde in 2018, served as national chair of Open Vld Women from 2020, and became a councillor in Oudenaarde in 2024. In order to focus fully and independently on her new role as managing director of Medaxes from 1 September, she is resigning from her political functions. 

“With Tineke, we are choosing a strong and versatile new leader. Her broad experience in the healthcare sector, her communication skills and her ability to build lasting relationships are key assets. We are convinced that Tineke will give Medaxes a clear voice and a recognisable face, and will represent our sector with knowledge and conviction.” 

— Dries Pattyn, Chair of the Medaxes Board of Directors

“Affordable medicines are essential to keeping our healthcare system accessible and sustainable. With Tineke, we are strengthening the voice with which we advocate for this. Our goal remains the same: to place the value of generic medicines and biosimilars more firmly on the agenda and thus contribute to continued access to high-quality medicines for patients, both today and tomorrow.” 

— Lieve Pattyn, Vice-Chair of the Medaxes Board of Directors 

Affordable and available 

Medaxes represents companies that bring generic, biosimilar and other off-patent medicines to the Belgian market. These medicines play an essential role in keeping high-quality treatments accessible and affordable for patients, whilst ensuring that healthcare resources are used as efficiently as possible. 

A new phase for Medaxes 

From September 2022 to November 2025, Jasmien Coenen was at the helm of Medaxes. Since November 2025, Nele D’Haeze and Wim Vervaet have temporarily taken on joint leadership, alongside their roles as experts within the federation. Medaxes would like to express its sincere gratitude for their commitment and for the continuity they have ensured over the past few months. 

The arrival of Tineke Van hooland marks the start of a new phase. Together with her, our federation aims to further strengthen its role as a substantive and constructive partner in discussions on medicines policy.