EU Strategy on COVID-19 therapeutics

Summary:

Communication published by the European Commission on 6 May 2021, setting out a strategy focusing on the development and availability of COVID-19 (coronavirus) therapeutics, including the treatment of the so-called long COVID condition.

Further information:

The strategy aims to cover the full lifecycle of medicines - from research, development and manufacturing to procurement and deployment. It includes a set of actions and targets on a number of fields:

• Research, development and innovation;
• Access to and swift approval of clinical trials;
• Scanning for candidate therapeutics;
• Supply chains and delivery of medicines;
• Regulatory flexibility;
• Joint procurement and financing;
• International cooperation.

The strategy is seen as complementary to the EU Vaccines Strategy and part of a strong European Health Union.

On 29 June 2021, the European Commission announced the first portfolio of five therapeutics in the framework of this strategy.

• Alternative Source 1

Official

European Commission Coronavirus Response: Treatments for COVID-19 https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/public-health_en#treatments-for-covid-19

EU EMA: Human Regulatory: Overview: COVID-19 treatments https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory/overview/public-health-threats/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/treatments-vaccines/covid-19-treatments

European Commission: Press Release, 06/05/2021: Coronavirus: Commission proposes EU Strategy for the development and availability of therapeutics https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_2201

European Commission: Remarks by Commissioner Stella Kyriakides at the press conference on the EU Strategy for the development and availability of therapeutics (6 May 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_2328

European Commission: Press Release, 29/06/2021: COVID-19 Therapeutics Strategy: Commission identifies five promising candidate therapeutics https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_3299

European Commission: Questions and Answers: COVID-19 Therapeutics Strategy – list of 5 candidate therapeutics (29 June 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_3301

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News

Health Europa, 07/05/2021: EU Vaccine Strategy: supporting COVID-19 therapeutics development https://www.healtheuropa.eu/eu-vaccine-strategy-supporting-covid-19-therapeutics-development/108147/

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Commentary and Analysis

Covington: Inside EU Life Sciences, 10/05/2021: European Commission outlines Strategy on COVID-19 Therapeutics https://www.insideeulifesciences.com/2021/05/10/european-commission-outlines-strategy-on-covid-19-therapeutics/

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