Innovation in pharma
Early stakeholder dialogues crucial for success of rare orphan medicines
Early dialogue between stakeholders is crucial for the effective development and success of rare orphan drugs, used to treat patients with rare diseases, Anna Bucsics, project adviser at the mechanism of coordinated access to orphan medicinal products (MoCA), told EURACTIV in an interview.
Taking action on the global threat of superbugs
COVID-19 has demonstrated in a quite dramatic way the huge impact of a global threat on public health and economy. While the COVID-19 crisis took us by surprise, our world faces a silent threat that is predictable and preventable, writes Hubertus Von Baumbach, the CEO of pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim.
MEP: A common EU tool to incentivise production and availability of orphan drugs
When it comes to rare diseases and 'orphan drugs', technology is there to support an “objective” EU tool that could provide the pharma industry with the necessary incentives to research and produce orphan drugs and simultaneously avoid exhausting ailing health systems, MEP Stelios Kympouropoulos told EURACTIV in an interview.
Reviewing orphan drugs law: A tough equation
The Orphan Regulation was introduced in 2000 and its main objective was to address the challenge of regulating medicines which treat patients with rare diseases. Around 246,000 people suffer from such diseases across the EU, The European Commission is expected...
Commission’s ‘risky’ move to re-visit orphan drugs regulation
The European Commission is expected to present by the end of July an evaluation study on the pros and cons of the application of orphan and paediatric regulations, which deal with a niche segment of rare diseases that affect fewer than five in 10,000 people.
NGOs call for moratorium on controversial ‘gene drive organisms’
After over 78 environmental and agricultural organisations signing a letter this week calling for a moratorium on gene drive technology, EURACTIV took a closer look at the controversial technology to find out about what it is and the implications it holds.
Franco-German couple sets eyes on EU health sovereignty
A joint COVID-19 recovery proposal put forward by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday (18 May) calls for a new European approach to health crises, aiming for greater EU sovereignty on medical products and pharmaceuticals.
Oxfam: COVID-19 vaccinations for vulnerable could cost fraction of top pharma’s yearly profits
Oxfam is urging governments and pharmaceutical companies to guarantee that vaccines, tests, and treatments will be patent-free and equitably distributed to all nations and people, ahead of the World Health Assembly next week.
New health tools for COVID-19
How to ensure access for all to a coronavirus vaccine should be the priority for world leaders. Dr Bernard Pécoul offers five ideas leaders should consider this week as they aim to raise €7.5 billion to fund vaccine research.
Commission aims to bring back medicine production to Europe
The EU needs to focus on ways to bring the production of medicines and pharmaceutical ingredients back to Europe to avoid a future recurrence of shortages experienced during the COVID-19 crisis, the EU health boss Stella Kyriakides told MEPs on Tuesday (22 April).
Pharma boss: EU will have to focus on long-term medical research ecosystem
After the coronavirus crisis is over, Europe will need policies that can create a research ecosystem in the long run as well as ensure access to medicines to the patients who need them in a way that is sustainable for health systems today and tomorrow, a leading representative of European pharmaceuticals told EURACTIV in an interview.
Commission’s new Pharmaceutical Strategy wants to touch core issues
The European Commission is planning to re-open basically all files related to the pharmaceutical industry with its roadmap for a new Pharmaceutical Strategy, seen by EURACTIV.com.
‘This is personal’: Von der Leyen launches consultation on EU’s Cancer Plan
The President of the European Commission launched an EU-wide public consultation on Europe's Beating Cancer Plan on Tuesday (4 February), announcing an EU-wide "open health data space" in support of research, prevention and cure.
EU health sector ‘up to a decade’ behind others for digitalisation, Commission says
The EU health sector is in the middle of a defining moment but the sector is “up to a decade” behind other sectors in terms of digitalisation, Deputy Director-General for Health and Food Safety Martin Seychell told EURACTIV.com.
New EU Commission should take on rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases
The new European Commission should tackle "head-on" rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, the president of the European League Against Rheumatism (Eular) told EURACTIV in an interview, referring to chronic diseases that affect one-quarter of all Europeans, creating healthcare and social security costs.
EU cancer plan will succeed if the right priorities are identified, official says
The much-awaited EU cancer plan will first have to identify specific needs at national level, seek funding and then be closely monitored in order to be successful, a high-ranking EU official has told EURACTIV.com.
Healthy vaccines ecosystem: A tough equation to solve
In a fragmented EU market, the vaccines ecosystem is complex and in order for it to be “healthy” all relevant stakeholders should be taken into account, Professor Panos Kanavos, an associate professor at LSE, told EURACTIV.com.
Measles hit Zagreb as social media join fight against anti-vaccination
Seven people have been diagnosed with measles in Zagreb in the past two weeks, raising concerns that more cases of this highly contagious virus may occur in light of the rising anti-vaccination campaigns.
Better access to health innovation is Kyriakides’ top priority (and hardest task)
With increased powers, Health Commissioner-designate Stella Kyriakides is tasked with striking a difficult balance between making sure there is a steady supply of affordable medicines and ensuring that EU pharma industry remains a world leader in innovation.
What European patients need: a shot of some good old Belgian surrealism
In art, Belgium is internationally recognised as the land of surrealism, where reality and dreams are intertwined to offer a new perspective on the world. Life sciences is another Belgian specialty and a major historical export product, a group of authors write.
Czech drug policy shifts toward patients with rare diseases
The Czech government has launched a legislative initiative to improve access to most modern medications and rare disease drugs, Health Minister Adam Vojtěch told EURACTIV in an interview, adding that patients are involved in the decision-making process at a very early stage, including in drafting the law.
New pharma boss: Next EU Commission should be clear on how to protect innovation
The next EU Commission should take a stronger position on innovation in the pharma sector, the new leader of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
EU should tackle health inequality with investments: MSD official
Every EU government should prioritise healthcare because only health citizens can be a driving force for economic growth, told EURACTIV Croatia Gabriele Grom, Vice President of MSD in Central Eastern Europe (CEE).