EU Negotiators Agree New Rules on Vital Medicines
The plan would speed funding for strategic projects and let countries buy rare-disease medicines together, officials said.
- On Tuesday, European Union negotiators reached an agreement on rules to bolster supply chains for essential medicines and reduce the bloc's dependence on drug manufacturers outside Europe.
- Health ministers reported last year that 80% to 90% of medicines used in Europe come from Asia, primarily China, prompting the European Commission to propose amending rules in 2025.
- The agreement incentivizes EU-based manufacturing through eased public funding and fast-tracked strategic projects, while lowering the joint-purchasing threshold from nine to five member states.
- Cypriot Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides hailed the deal, saying, "Patients should not have to worry about whether critical medicines such as antibiotics will be available at their pharmacy or hospital."
- European Parliament President Roberta Metsola praised the "excellent cooperation" between institutions, though the new rules require formal approval from the European Parliament and the Council to enter into force.
39 Articles
39 Articles
Nobody likes to hear this sentence in the pharmacy: "Unfortunately, the drug is not available right now.
Minister hails EU plans to secure stocks of critical medicines
Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides on Tuesday hailed a deal reached by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament regarding a new regulation aimed at securing stocks and supply lines of critical medicines across the bloc. “Patients should not have to worry about whether critical medicines such as antibiotics will be available at their pharmacy or hospital,” he said. He added that as a result of the agreement, “we are taki…
Many medicines that are on the market in Europe come from Asia. Some are out of print again and again. The EU now wants to provide a remedy.
Europe has taken an important step in its efforts to reduce its strong vulnerabilities in a field essential to citizens' well-being and health: to be able to ensure sufficient access to essential medicines such as antibiotics, insulin or vaccines.
Medicines, such as antibiotics or children's fever syrups, are frequently in short supply in Europe. This is partly due to the country's heavy reliance on Asia. EU negotiators have now agreed to prioritize European manufacturers.
Europe is extremely dependent on Asia when it comes to medicines: up to 90 per cent are mainly produced in China, which always creates bottlenecks in vital medicine. With new rules, the EU now wants to boost drug production in Europe. Painkillers, antibiotics or fever juices for children: In recent years, people in Europe have not been able to buy essential drugs at a time in the pharmacy. The reasons for these supply problems were bottlenecks i…
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