Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe

Summary:

Communication published by the European Commission on 25 November 2020, setting out a strategy for the pharmaceutical sector in the European Union (EU).

Further information:

This strategy aims to create a future-proof regulatory framework and support industry in promoting research and technologies that actually reach patients and fulfil their therapeutic needs while addressing market failures. It also takes into account the weaknesses exposed by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and factor-in appropriate actions to strengthen the system.

Europe's Pharmaceutical Strategy has four main objectives:

• Ensuring access to affordable medicines for patients, and addressing unmet medical needs (e.g. in the areas of antimicrobial resistance, cancer, rare diseases);
• Supporting competitiveness, innovation and sustainability of the EU's pharmaceutical industry and the development of high quality, safe, effective and greener medicines
• Enhancing crisis preparedness and response mechanisms, and addressing security of supply;
• Ensuring a strong EU voice in the world, by promoting a high level of quality, efficacy and safety standards.

This strategy is a component of the so-called European Health Union, as called for by the President of the European Commission during her 2020 State of the European Union address. It was presented to the European Parliament on 26 November.

Official

EUR-Lex: SWD(2020)286: Staff Working Document accompanying the Communication - Synopsis Report https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2020:286:FIN

European Commission: A pharmaceutical strategy for Europe https://ec.europa.eu/health/human-use/strategy_en

European Commission: Press Release, 25/11/2020: Affordable, accessible and safe medicines for all: the Commission presents a Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_2173

European Commission: A Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe: Questions and Answers (25 November 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_2174

European Commission: Remarks by Vice-President Schinas at the press conference on the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe (25 November 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_2212

European Parliament: Press Release, 26/11/2020: New pharmaceutical strategy must guarantee EU citizens equal access to medicines https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201120IPR92134/

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News

EurActiv, 24/11/2020: EU leaked pharma strategy pushes innovation for a resilient Europe https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/news/eu-leaked-pharma-strategy-pushes-on-innovation-for-resilient-future/

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