The Commission has today adopted a
Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe to ensure patients have access to innovative and affordable medicines and to support the competitiveness, innovative capacity and sustainability of the EU's pharmaceutical industry. The Strategy will allow Europe to cover its pharmaceutical needs, including in times of crisis, through robust supply chains.
Europe's Pharmaceutical Strategy has four main objectives:
- Ensuring access to affordable medicines for patients, and addressing unmet medical needs (e.g. in the areas of antimicrobial resistance, rare diseases);
- Supporting competitiveness, innovation and sustainability of the EU’s pharmaceutical industry and the development of high quality, safe, effective and greener medicines;
- Enhancing crisis preparedness and response mechanisms, diversified and secure supply chains, address medicines shortages;
- Ensuring a strong EU voice in the world, by promoting a high level of quality, efficacy and safety standards.
The Strategy presents concrete actions to ensure
accessibility, availability and affordability of medicines. It supports diversified and secure supply chains, ensuring the EU's open strategic autonomy in the world, and it promotes environmentally sustainable pharmaceuticals.
The Strategy will also ensure that the EU's pharmaceutical policy continues to serve public health in an ever-changing environment of scientific and commercial transformations. It will support
patient centred innovations and accommodate
digital and technological change.