Pharmaceutical Market
Parallel imports and the role of pharmacies still unresolved in pharma package negotiations
Est. 5minThe ongoing pharma package negotiations were marked by Belgium’s focus on combating medicine shortages and shaping the incentives system for new medicines development. Key issues remain in play for Hungary, including parallel imports.
Poland explores xenotransplantation to overcome organ transplant shortages
Est. 5minAt the latest meeting of the Polish Transplant Council, experts discussed the necessity of establishing a team to thoroughly analyse the risks associated with the introduction of xenotransplantation.
Swedish maternity units failing health inspections, understaffing a key factor
Est. 6minSwedish maternity care is failing to meet expected quality criteria standards. According to an alarming new report, only one of the 45 Swedish maternity units passed all of the health inspectorate's examinations.
Political interference risks Slovak health technology authority’s independence
Est. 6minPolitical interference risks the independence of a leading Slovak health institute. Without formal discussion, the Slovak parliament rushed through an amendment changing leadership and funding criteria - the institute's future now depends on the Constitutional Court.
Bulgaria agrees to pay pharmacists higher fees, avoiding protest threat
Est. 5minThe Bulgarian government has averted large-scale pharmacy protests, agreeing to pay higher fees to pharmacies supplying patients with free medicines. Protests were threatened over government plans to cut already low fees.
Hungarians facing long hospital waiting lists, dissatisfaction rising
Est. 4minLong waiting lists for scheduled operations at Hungarian hospitals are at the centre of a fierce political debate. Seven thousand patients were added to the lists in just one year, delays can take up to six years.
European agreements with pharma can push development and production, says Belgian MEP Vautmans
Est. 5minA staunch advocate for the European Health Union, Belgium's Hilde Vautmans begins her third MEP mandate with a renewed focus on healthcare equal access, preventive care and digitisation.
Poland leans towards shorter data exclusivity period, one year market protection
Est. 5minWarsaw has sided with the European Commission on the length of the Regulatory Data Protection (RDP) period in the EU Pharma Package. Poland advocates that the incentives scheme should focus on market protection and not last more than a year.
Czechia lifts ban on blood donation by gay men
Est. 4minNew Czech regulation, which took effect on 1 July, allows gay men to donate blood, a practice previously prohibited.
Bulgaria facing critical shortage of general practitioners
Est. 5minA critical shortage of general practitioners threatens the Bulgarian health system, according to a new report by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), serious bottlenecks look certain to occur.
Sweden unveils new cross-sector partnership to attract more clinical trials
Est. 6minThe Swedish government will explore a national stakeholder partnership to increase the number of clinical trials in Sweden. The move comes after a decade of slow decline in trial applications, which reached a record low in 2023.
Study highlights EU’s fragmented access to new medicine
Est. 7minAccess to novel medicines continues to vary widely across EU member states. Though health remains mostly a national competence, a Euractiv cross-country report shows patients in each country face unequal challenges when accessing new therapies.
Leading Slovak politician denies Slovakia’s pandemic, as health ministry rejects revised WHO regulations
Est. 6minSlovak MP Peter Kotlár is accused of bringing “international disgrace” on Slovakia following his pandemic denial and Slovakia’s rejection of a deal to revise the International Health Regulations (IHR) at the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Poland’s medical device integration gets new EMA guidance, but industry sounds caution
Est. 4minNew guidance issued by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on medical devices aims to streamline procedures, but integrating technologies into healthcare systems remains challenging, warns Polish industry.
New wave of radioligand therapy triggers Belgium to launch action plan
Est. 6minA new wave of radioligand therapies is approaching. With healthcare systems and policymakers ill-equipped to handle the change, Belgium is launching an action plan.
Opioid prescriptions under scrutiny in Poland prompted by fentanyl fears
Est. 5minThe Polish Ministry of Health has implemented a daily system for monitoring the prescription and dispensing of opioids following increasing reports of fentanyl use in the country.
Dutch Minister plans to implement new reimbursement system for high-cost medicine
Est. 6minConcerns have been raised about the relative effectiveness of an increasing number of new medicines at the time of their market authorisation, a spokesperson for outgoing Dutch Medical Care Minister Pia Dijkstra told Euractiv.
Bulgaria extends ban on exports of insulin, antibiotics for children
Est. 4minBulgaria continues to experience serious medicine supply problems, leading caretaker Health Minister Galya Kondeva to extend the export ban on antibiotics for children, insulin and blood sugar-lowering drugs until mid-July.
Massive stockpiling of medicines increases patient risks, warns EU coalition
Est. 5minA coalition of six EU member states has warned against some countries' massive stockpiling of medicines, warning that such practices might cause significant shortages in other parts of the European Union.
Lower innovative drug costs not being passed on by pharma firms, say Dutch researchers
Est. 6minLower drug pricing does not follow from an expansion of innovative medicine indications, according to Dutch researchers. They claim pharma companies often fail to pass on their financial gain to patients and health services.
Strike by Swedish health workers escalates as holiday season approaches
Est. 4minMassive healthcare protests continue across Sweden, with 3,300 healthcare workers on strike, operations cancelled, and waiting times prolonged.
Bulgaria launches nationwide cervical cancer screening to tackle high mortality rate
Est. 4minThe Bulgarian government decided to carry out a broad cervical cancer screening programme for women across the country in an attempt to get closer to the EU average. The government will provide initial funding of €4.5 million.
Sanofi calls for next Commission to boost Europe’s research capabilities
Est. 4minSanofi is emphasising the strategic importance of Belgium in its pharmaceutical research and development initiatives, while also highlighting the EU's potential to lead an artificial intelligence-driven revolution in medicine, particularly in medicines discovery.
Swedish medicines regulator seeks stronger mandate to combat drug shortages
Est. 5minThe Swedish Medical Products Agency is seeking a new mandate to address drug shortages. It wants to take charge of redistributing critical medicines to pharmacies and setting up a stock-based situational awareness system.
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