About: drugs Archives

EU incentives for R&D on orphan drugs have proven successful, 22 new drugs have reached the market in five years. Patient organisations argue they cannot afford them.

Three Commissioners have joined forces to develop a comprehensive policy to fight drugs in the EU. The aim is to reduce both supply and demand.

An OECD report on biopharmaceuticals innovation recommends national governments to co-ordinate their various policies related to the innovation chain to boost competitiveness and innovation of the biopharma sector.

The EU has recently finalised its policy and legal framework for so-called biosimilars, opening the EU market for generic versions of biotechnology-derived drugs. The first such drug is about to enter the EU market.

The Commission has decided to speed up market authorisation of orphan drugs and of medicines responding to public health emergencies such as bioterrorist attack or influenza pandemic.

The Commission has warned consumers about an illegal obesity drug currently sold on the internet which has not passed the safety evaluation process of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).

A recent study on development of drugs for rare diseases suggests that pharmaceutical companies need more incentives to develop solid dossiers for applications for orphan drugs.

The EU action plan against drugs adopts a multidisciplinary approach combining demand reduction, supply reduction and the fight against international drug traffickers. 

Luxembourg Health Minister Mars di Bartolomeo has told the Parliament that the Presidency’s policy on drugs was to focus on combating supply as well as lowering demand.

The Commission has issued a communication setting out an EU
strategy to combat the increasing problems caused by drug
trafficking and drug use.

The potential high social and economic benefits resulting from the
biotech innovations are "on ice" due to the long regulatory
processes for the approval of new products, says European
bioindustry.

EU leaders
reiterated their determination to combat terrorism at a
summit on 16 – 17 December.