EU Health Commissioner-Designate Promises Action on Pharma Reform, Shortages and Biotech

Date

November 18, 2024

Category

EU Regulations

Description

In October 2024 the European Commissioner-designate for health and animal welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, said that he would “do everything I can” to support the European Parliament and Council in completing the reform of the EU pharmaceutical legislation for human medicines. The Commissioner-designate said that he plans to introduce two new pieces of legislation:

• A Critical Medicines Act to tackle the endemic risks of shortages of critical medicines and medical devices and reduce dependencies.
• A Biotech Act – which is intended to “make the EU regulatory environment simpler and more conducive to innovation, attract innovators and investors to conduct research and make it easier to bring biotechnologies from the laboratory to the factory and onto the market.”

He also said that he would “take measures to combat misinformation and vaccine hesitancy, monitor vaccination coverage in member states, support vaccination campaigns and help member states control possible disease outbreaks.”

Várhelyi’s confirmation hearing before the European Parliament was scheduled for November 6, 2024.