On Tuesday 2 December, MEPs of the European Parliament’s Committee on Public Health called for the European Union to fully exploit the potential of biotechnology and life sciences in the health field.
Adopting the own-initiative report by Margarita de la Pisa Carrión (PfE, Spanish) by 25 votes to 8 with 3 abstentions, MEPs want the future Biotech Act to revise, simplify and optimise the regulatory framework for biotechnology in order to promote innovation (see EUROPE 13673/13).
In adopting ‘alternative compromises’ proposed by the EPP, S&D and Renew Europe, committee members emphasised that biotechnology therapies, such as CAR-T, mRNA, CRISPR and other advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), are transforming healthcare and prevention by targeting previously incurable diseases. MEPs point out that during the Covid-19 pandemic, biotechnology played a key role in the rapid development of innovative vaccines, in particular mRNA vaccines, as well as advanced molecular diagnostic tools.
They highlight the growing role of preventive medicine and biotechnological therapies in the treatment and prevention of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, rare diseases, etc. MEPs also stress the role of off-patent biological medicines in strengthening the sustainability of healthcare systems and ensuring fair and rapid access to treatment for patients.
They emphasise the importance that biotechnological innovation can have in reducing and replacing animal testing, in particular through laboratory-grown tissues, the use of stem cells, the promotion of regenerative medicine or disease modelling and drug testing through procedures such as organ-on-a-chip.
The importance of marine biotechnology is highlighted for the development of health applications (new medicines with antimicrobial properties, new materials for tissue regeneration, enzymes and biosensors).
MEPs point out that molecular diagnosis using genomic and proteomic biomarkers is essential for the early detection and personalised treatment of serious diseases.
They are calling for adequate funding and better coordination of national genetic testing programmes, including the adoption of EU guidelines to harmonise newborn screening.
To see the alternative compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/jso (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)