On Wednesday 4 June, the European Commissioner for Health, Olivér Várhelyi, expressed his hope that the EU institutions would reach an agreement this year on the pharmaceutical package and the proposed Critical Medicines Act.
Negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament on the pharmaceutical package are due to begin on 17 June (see EUROPE 13653/10).
The Commissioner described the Council’s negotiating mandate as “an important step towards a more competitive, innovation friendly and patient-centred pharma sector”. In his view, the agreement between the Member States “safeguards the core principles of the pharmaceutical reform. It will continue to foster innovation, incentivize clinical research, and strengthen measures against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
It stresses that the new ‘Bolar’ exemption “will ensure faster generic market entry, providing tangible support to healthcare systems”.
Among the additional measures mentioned are electronic labelling and greater prevention of shortages, which, according to the Commissioner, will help to improve security of supply.
All these reforms, including those provided for in the Critical Medicines Act, “will guarantee access to medicines for every patient, regardless of their Member State”, he concludes. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)