BIGGEST PHARMA REFORM IN 20 YEARS BENEFITS ALL CITIZENS

Renew Europe welcomes today’s adoption in plenary of a new pharmaceutical package that will safeguard the availability, affordability and equal access of medicines in the entire EU, while also stimulating research and development. The redesign of the European pharmaceutical landscape ensures greater harmonization of the internal market of medicinal products, it will speed up the process of getting medicines approved, introduces new mechanisms to counter shortages of medicines and enables the extension of joint purchasing.

Thanks to the expertise and negotiating skills of MEP Mrs. Catherine Amalric and MEP Mrs. Frédérique Ries, Renew Europe has secured a future – proof pharmaceutical package with the well – being of the patient in focus. To achieve this objective, it is therefore essential that the European Parliament has today approved the ambitious elements of the package which provides to:

* Prevent medicine shortages by introducing new tools to prevent and mitigate shortages.

*Establish a European Framework for Rare Disease to enable successful orphan medical products and tailor – made healthcare for those patients, while guaranteeing extended group purchasing of medicines for the treatment of rare and chronic diseases or antibiotics.

* Give equal access to contraceptive and abortifacient medicines for all women across the EU by lifting the possibility of banning or restricting the purchase and the use of those medicinal products.

* Strengthen the European pharmaceutical ecosystem, by introducing new incentives to encourage research and development.

* Safeguard our independence towards third countries by introducing new incentives to relocate production back to Europe and protecting intellectual property.

MEP Catherine Amalric (Parti Radical, France), Renew Europe shadow rapporteur for the directive on medicinal products for human use says:

“The adoption of the pharmaceutical package is a major victory for European health. It will enable all Europeans to have access to fairer, safer and more sustainable medicines, while allowing the relocation of medicine production in Europe and encouraging research and innovation.”

MEP Frédérique Ries (MR, Belgium), Renew Europe shadow rapporteur for the regulation of medical products for human use comments:

“Continuing to innovate for better treatments, fight shortages, and organize European solidarity, today's vote confirms our triple commitment to protect the health of Europeans and maintain Europe's leading role in the world. With particular attention to the most vulnerable, the 30 million Europeans who live with a rare disease and deserve to be finally supported by a major European Rare Disease Plan, a priority of the Renew Europe group! »