
UK rejoins Horizon Europe
Britain’s life science community is celebrating the country’s return to the EU Horizon Europe research programme, which was announced on 7 September 2023.
Britain’s life science community is celebrating the country’s return to the EU Horizon Europe research programme, which was announced on 7 September 2023.
Roadblocks from the EU, and the UK government’s determination to get a ‘fair settlement’ on associate membership, are harming international collaborative research programmes and, ultimately, patients’ access to innovative treatments and devices.
The leaders of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) have warned that the proposed reforms to the European Commission’s (EC) Pharmaceutical Legislation should be revised as they believe they risk damaging Europe’s capacity for innovation and international competitiveness.
While the UK science sector remains committed to association with the international research programme Horizon Europe, the British government has announced its own alternative, which would be implemented if negotiations falter.
The recently announced Windsor Framework seeks to restore Northern Ireland’s position as part of the UK and thereby undo the political, economic and societal challenges brought about by two years under the Northern Ireland Protocol. As over 1,700 pages of EU law will no longer apply in the region, what will be the situation for medicines supply once the deal goes through, and how will greater cooperation with the EU impact research and innovation under Horizon Europe?
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published its key recommendations for marketing authorisations in 2022 in ‘Human Medicines Highlights 2022’.
Fears of a shortage of medical devices have led the European Commission (EC) to adopt a proposal to extend the transition period to new rules under the Medical Devices Regulation. The proposal was made at the EPSCO Council meeting on 9 December 2022 by EU health ministers.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) held the first meeting of the Immunisation and Vaccine Monitoring Advisory Board (IVMAB) of the Vaccine Monitoring Platform (VMP) in early December. Via the VMP they will coordinate and oversee EU-funded, independent post-authorisation studies on vaccines use, safety and effectiveness in EU countries.
A report commissioned by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) has led the organisation to warn that the options being discussed by policymakers around the EU Pharma Strategy fall short.