European strategy for regulation of medicines open for public consultation

Availability and the supply of medicines, digital transformation and efforts against antimicrobial resistance are but some of the priority areas in the draft network strategy to 2025 that has been submitted for public consultation by the medicines agencies in Europe and the European Medicines Agency, EMA. The strategy is open for public consultation until 4 September 2020.

In order to meet current and future challenges in the pharmaceutical area, the European medicines agencies and the EMA have submitted a joint strategy for the coming five years for public consultation.

The draft strategy describes how the EMA and the national competent authorities will ensure an efficient regulatory framework for the development and supply of safe and effective medicines that meets the needs of the public and the possibilities and challenges posed by the developments in science, medicine, digital technologies, globalisation and emerging health threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The strategy outlines six priority areas in line with the European Commission’s roadmap for a future joint pharmaceutical strategy for Europe, which is expected to be launched later this year.

• Availability and accessibility of medicines
• Data analytics, tools and digital transformation
• Innovation
• Antimicrobial resistance and other emerging health threats
• Supply-chain challenges
• Sustainability

The strategy is intended to guide the separate work plans by EMA and the national competent authorities over the next five years. 

Everyone can provide their input to the draft strategy no later than 4 September 2020 via this online questionnaire.

The draft strategy paper is available at the website of the EMA: European medicines agencies network strategy to 2025 – Protecting public health at a time of rapid change.