The Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, underlined, on Tuesday 17 January, her concern about the “complicated situation” facing the European Union due to an early circulation of three respiratory viruses (seasonal influenza, Covid-19 and the respiratory syncytial virus) combined with shortages of certain medicines.
The Commissioner explained that this situation poses a risk of increased pressure on hospital systems and health workers. According to her, vaccination against respiratory viruses remains one of the best protective shields against these diseases. Ms Kyriakides added that consideration should be given to making masks compulsory for health care workers and visitors to health care services.
On the issue of shortages of medicines, the Commissioner detailed the efforts undertaken in conjunction with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the contacts with industry. Ms Kyriakides mentioned the possibility of joint procurement of medicines and the organisation of industry events to increase production. The proposal on pharmaceutical legislation is announced for March.
The Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU is committed to promoting the necessary actions for the supply of medicines and tackling the structural causes of shortages. The Presidency welcomes the forthcoming proposal to revise EU legislation on pharmaceuticals.
Most political groups called for the strengthening of the EU’s strategic autonomy on essential medicines.
Nathalie Colin-Oesterlé (EPP, French) recalled that her 2020 report contained several proposals (see EUROPE 12482/1). The MEP called for the creation of a European reserve of essential medicines and advocated for a “Made in Europe” strategy for health sovereignty and for the relocation of the entire drug manufacturing chain, in particular through financial and tax incentives for manufacturers. The MEP also spoke of a European monitoring of stocks.
For Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Renew Europe, French), supply tensions are rooted in anomalies in the development and marketing of medicines in the EU. Ms Trillet-Lenoir called for a joint evaluation of medicines, collective price negotiations based on enhanced cooperation (instead of bilateral negotiations), mobilisation of the EMA and the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). She also advocated for the opportunity to review the EU pharmaceutical legislation to be used to strengthen existing tools.
Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA, Luxembourger) called for short-term measures to deal with the current situation and long-term measures to ensure transparency in medicine production chains so that public authorities can act before shortages occur. Ms Metz also advocated for the creation of a European public entity for the production of a minimum number of essential medicines.
For Joanna Kopcinska (ECR, Poland), access to medicines is a health security issue. She advocated for a two-pronged strategy to limit producers’ exposure to supply shocks and to put in place a market monitoring mechanism and a list of medicines in tension and problems encountered.
Kateřina Konecna (GUE/NGL, Czech), for her part, called for restrictions on the free movement of medicines, registers to show the state of stocks in pharmacies and a change in EU legislation on patent law. (Original version in French by Emilie Vanderhulst)