16 November, 2023
The European Respiratory Society (ERS), with the support of the European Lung Foundation (ELF), has responded positively to the proposed revision to the EU general pharmaceutical legislation, stating that the proposal is a “step in the right direction”, with clear benefits to patients across Europe, if adopted.
The EU Commission submitted its proposal for new legislation in April 2023, marking the first significant review in almost 20 years.
The proposed revision aim to ensure patients in the EU have equitable access to medicinal products, address issues around shortages of medicines, and to enhance Europe’s global competitiveness and innovation in the pharmaceutical sector.
In an official response statement to the EU Commission, ERS concurs that, if adopted, the proposed revision would mean “more patients across Europe will have access to innovative and affordable medicines” and “it will create a new and attractive framework that can both boost competitiveness and keep Europe at the forefront of medical innovation and research in the coming years.”
ERS Advocacy Council Chair, Prof. Barbara Hoffmann added:
“We are very pleased with this proposed revision overall – it goes in the right direction and we welcome and even commend many of the suggested revisions, but as part of our response we have also offered some additional recommendations/suggestions including ensuring that healthcare professionals are included in the list of participants of the proposed European Network.”