PGEU_Annual_Report

On 1 February, PGEU met with the European Commission Unit in charge of the implementation of the Directive on the application of patients’ rights in cross border health care. The European Commission encouraged PGEU to participate in a study on the implementation of the legislation that the European Commission was about to launch and to provide feedback and best practices with regard to the provisions on the recognitions of prescriptions.

Meeting with the European Commission on cross border health care

On 3 February, PGEU participated to an online debate on the EU Pharmaceutical Strategy organised by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC). We presented the PGEU position on medicines availability and the results of the PGEU annual survey on medicines shortages. Other speakers included the European Commission Director Andrzej Rys and the European Parliament rapporteur on the Regulation expanding the mandate of the European Medicines Agency, MEP Nicolás González Casares. All participants stressed the need to urgently address the root causes of shortages and improve shortages prevention and management. Other topics discussed were medicines affordability, stockpiling and bringing the production of certain medicines and chemicals back on Europe to secure supply.

European Consumer Organisation debate on the EU Pharmaceutical strategy

On 11 and 12 February, PGEU attended the EU Joint Action on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections (JAMRAI) Final Conference. EU JAMRAI has come to an end after three and a half years of work, developing and implementing One Health policies to fight AMR. For its final conference, the Joint Action presented all of the achievements obtained by the project and discussed future prospects. One of the main aspects of the conference was to engage stakeholders and AMR key players to ensure concrete results to address AMR and adopt a path of action for the future.

EU JAMRAI Final Conference

On 18 February, PGEU together with the General Council of Spanish Pharmacists, met with MEP Nicolás González Casares (S&D Group, Spain), who has been the European Parliament ENVI committee rapporteur on the Proposal for a Regulation on a reinforced role for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in crisis preparedness and management for medicinal products and medical devices. PGEU presented its position on shortages together with the results of the PGEU Medicine Shortages Survey 2020 and discussed the proposed PGEU amendments to the text. The General Council of Spanish Pharmacists presented the CISMED information system they use in Spain to detect and report shortages.

Meeting with ENVI rapporteur on the Proposal for a Regulation on a reinforced role for the EMA

On 22 February, PGEU followed online the European Semester Conference as a kick off event of the European Parliamentary Week 2021, jointly organised by the European Parliament and the Portuguese Presidency. In particular, PGEU attended a session on synergies of the European Green Deal compared to a more resilient Health Union. The event was chaired by MEP Mr Pascal Canfin, Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). Shortly after the opening, the word was given to Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans of the European Commission responsible for the portfolio of the European Green Deal, followed by Laurence Boone, Chief Economist at the OECD. The discussion with MEPs focused especially on the environmental aspects of the recovery, namely on how to orient the EU funds to foster the European Green Deal and to promoting sustainable economic growth.

European Parliament European Semester Conference

On 26 February, PGEU Vice-President Mathias Arnold, participated to the high-level launch event of the so called “Structured dialogue” organised by the Vice President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, by the EU health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides and by the EU Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton. The structured dialogue has been proposed by the European Commission as part of the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe, adopted on 25 November 2020, with the idea of strengthening cooperation between the actors in the pharmaceuticals manufacturing value chain, namely public authorities, patient and health nongovernmental organisations and the research community to ensure that Europe can provide for its pharmaceutical needs, including in times of crisis.

The aim of the meeting was to gain a better understanding of the functioning of global pharmaceutical supply chains and identify the causes and drivers of vulnerabilities and dependencies threatening the supply of medicines in the EU. PGEU Vice President contribution focused on the need to implement concrete and urgent solutions to the problem of medicines shortages, expanding the role of pharmacy practice and allowing pharmacists to use their knowledge and experience to ensure continuity of treatments.

High-level launch event of the structured dialogue