Pharma Execs Compose Open Letter on EMA Relocation

On April 24, 2017, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) and a group of executives from several big pharma companies composed an open letter to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) regarding its relocation. In the letter, published on EFPIA’s website, the executives expressed concern that the United Kingdom’s exit, often referred to as Brexit, from the European Union would disrupt the agency’s activities.

“It is a stark and alarming reality that such fundamental activities would undoubtedly be impeded were the operations of the agency to be disrupted as a result of the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU,” the letter notes. “To put it concisely: in the event of obstruction or failure, Europe possesses no backup option.”

The letter continues to say EMA should decide on relocation “as early on as possible, preferably at its meeting in June this year.” Connectivity, they say, is a “fundamental requirement” for a new location. It is also vital that the new location can manage at least 36,000 expert visits annually, the letter continues. For this reason, a robust transportation system is also important.

The EFPIA letter is signed by executives from several big pharma companies, including Teva, Novartis, Pfizer, GSK, and Johnson & Johnson, among others. EMA has made no formal indication of where it plans to move post Brexit; although, according to a Reuters report, approximately 21 EU member states have expressed interest in hosting the agency.

Source: EFPIA