EP against EU medicine shortages: joint procurement, strategic support possible

According to the EP’s position, companies receiving public funds should fulfil clear obligations in return: for example, they should give priority to supplying the EU market. They would also put those actors that manufacture a significant part of critical medicines within the EU in a more favourable position in public procurement.

The document would also regulate the scope of joint, cross-border – voluntary – procurement: compared to the original Commission idea, the number of member states that could purchase together would be reduced from nine to five. The aim is for joint procurement to improve supply, especially for medicines for rare diseases, antimicrobials and other innovative, costly or specialised treatments.

MEPs would also coordinate the management of national stocks and emergency reserves of critical medicines at EU level, in order to better forecast and manage crises. According to their proposal, the European Commission would ultimately be given the power to decide on the transfer of medicines from one national stockpile to one or more others in the event of a shortage or supply disruption.

The text was adopted in plenary by 503 votes to 57, with 108 abstentions. The EP has now set its own position on the Commission proposal; it still needs to negotiate with the Council, which represents the governments of the member states, to finalise the legislation.