EU Reaches Deal to Boost Essential Medicines Supply

The European Parliament said on Tuesday that it had reached a preliminary agreement to strengthen the EU’s supply of essential medicines by increasing production in Europe and reducing dependence on countries outside the bloc.

The measures, set out in the agreed text, focus on critical medicines such as antibiotics, insulin and vaccines. They are intended to expand EU production capacity at a time when the bloc is seeking to secure future access to new medicines as US pricing policies continue to unsettle the pharmaceutical sector.

The European Parliament and the European Council must both approve the new rules before they can enter into force.

Emer Cooke, the head of the European Medicines Agency, last month called on regional authorities in EU states to work more closely together to ensure access to medicines.

(reuters, max)