At the end of May the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published its annual report for 2015, which is its 20th. Among the accomplishments achieved by the agency over the course of the past year, the following are mentioned: one of the most noteworthy is the new PRIME (PRIority MEdicines) scheme, aimed at supporting the […]

On 25th May 2016, the European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on the two European Commission proposals on medical devices and in-vitro medical devices, which were first presented in 2012.

In June, the European Commission’s Expert Panel, which provides non-binding advice to the Commission on issues related to effective ways of investing in healthcare, issued a series of Opinions, as well as the Memorandum on “Reflections on hospital reforms in the EU”. The Memorandum looks at some of the current challenges facing hospitals in the […]

The EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is now applicable in EU Member States. Extensively lobbied against by the industry of tobacco, the TDP is considered a majot step towards a better functioning of the internal market for tobacco and related products, with the aim of ensuring a high level of protection for European citizens. A […]

At the end of May, the European Commission presented its proposal for an updated Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD). The revision is aimed at creating a fairer and safer audiovisual and media environment. While promoting European film and culture, ensuring the independence of audiovisual regulators and giving more flexibility over advertising, the AVMSD has been […]

Three new cases of Ebola have been confirmed by the Government of Guinea – although the country was declared Ebola free last December. According to some scientists, that the Ebola virus may become an ever-present disease in West Africa is a risk to be considered, whereas the World Health Organisation (WHO) has claimed that sporadic […]

Strengthening the cooperation between Health Technology Assessment (HTA) bodies in the EU, improving their joint work, ensuring effective ways of taking up good practices: these are some of the goals of the Joint Action launched by the European Commission. The Joint Action is part of the EU work on cross-border health care, includes 75 partner […]

On 19th April, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) organised a workshop in London on the collaboration with general practitioners / family physicians. UEMO was kindly invited by EMA to take part in this meeting and was represented at the workshop by Ms Nena Kopcavar Gucek. The workshop was attended by twenty representatives from three major […]

Lauched by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), PRIME will focus on the development of medicines that may improve existing treatments as well as target unmet medical needs. Under the PRIME scheme, the EMA and medicine developers will work together since the very first stages in order to strengthen the clinical trial designs and implement the […]