Today, the European Commission is launching an online public consultation on the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe. The consultation will last three months and consists of questions which will focus on key themes: strategic autonomy and manufacturing of medicines, access to affordable medicines, innovation, and environmental sustainability and health challenges.
The results of the public consultation will contribute to the preparation, in the autumn, of the Pharmaceutical Strategy, which is expected to be adopted by the end of the year. The Strategy aims to create a “future proof” system which reaps the benefits of digitalisation and promotes innovation especially in areas of unmet needs, such as antimicrobials, medicines for children and medicines for rare diseases.
It also intends to reduce the EU’s dependency on imports from third-countries. It will reduce the impact of medicines on the environment and tackle anti-microbial resistance. The current COVID-19 crisis has shown that the EU needs to make sure that medicines, including vaccines, can be available under all circumstances.
Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “The Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe is a cornerstone of our policy in the area of health for the next five years, and this is the chance for all stakeholders to help us shape it. I call on patients’ associations, industry, public authorities, academia and the general public to contribute.
With this Strategy, which I will present by the end of the year, we will be responding to the challenges amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and all the structural issues on access, affordability and the strategic autonomy of our Union on medicines. We need to ensure that all patients have access to optimal care & affordable medicines. Together we will make a difference.”
Stefan De Keersmaecker – Darragh Cassidy –