The pharmaceutical industry is concerned that the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU will disrupt the European Medicines Agency’s activities. The organisation is currently based in London. In a joint statement published on Monday 24 April, several major players in the industry called for a soft and well thought out transition during the agency’s move.
The document is published on the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Associations and Industries’ website and is co-signed by the representatives of 19 pharmaceutical laboratories such as Novartis, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, Servier and Pfizer, etc.
The statement indicates that, “the Council’s deliberations on the Agency’s future location need to be conducted on the basis of very essential criteria and put for decision as early on as possible, preferably at its meeting in June this year”. It identifies a series of criteria to take into account during the selection of the new centre. These include connectivity, transport links, accommodation and facilities for personnel. It concludes that in the event of any obstacles or failure, Europe does not have any other options for change. The industry calls for appropriate transition provisions and indicates that, “Were a rapid resolution on the future location of the EMA not to materialise, or if the future seat of the European Medicines Agency were to fail in terms of establishing its minimum prerequisites, the quality of its work and the future of the European Medicines Regulatory Network would be placed in jeopardy. The extent of the severe and significant negative repercussions for public and animal health in Europe would be indeterminable”.
As indicated in our previous edition (see EUROPE 11770), 21 member states have so far expressed an interest in hosting the agency in the future. These countries include Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden. The heads of state and government are now due to tackle this issue during their special meeting on Saturday 29 April. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)