1. Summary On 1 April 2020, the Belgian Federal Authority for Health and Medicinal Products (“FAMPH”) adopted a Decision to avoid shortages of medicines and raw materials used in the treatment of COVID-19. It applies for one month from 1 April, renewable. On 2 April 2020, the authority provided further details in a news post … Continue Reading
On March 12, 2020, the Italian Medicines Agency (“AIFA”) has provided guidance on the management of clinical trials due to the COVID-19 emergency. The Guidance, which is addressed to CROs, Sponsors and non-profit organizations involved in clinical trials, allows for some derogations to support them face the criticalities. The Guidance is intended to ensure that … Continue Reading
On 20 March 2020, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published Guidance on the Management of Clinical Trials during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic (the Guidance). The EMA jointly developed the Guidance with working groups from the European Commission and the national Heads of Medicines Agency (HMA). The Guidance provides information on changes and protocol deviations that … Continue Reading
NHS England has recently published draft proposals on how it plans to approach doing commercial deals with pharmaceutical companies for branded medicines. This draft “Commercial Framework” is now open for comment and consultation (stakeholders can submit their views here). The consultation period ends on 10 January 2020, with Commercial Framework expected to be finalized later … Continue Reading
In a long-running legal case challenging the European Medicines Agency’s approach to disclosure of clinical trial data, Advocate General Hogan has recommended that the Court of Justice find that such data are presumptively confidential when handling disclosure requests under the Transparency Regulation 1049/2001. PTC Therapeutics International Limited (“PTC”) had argued before the General Court that … Continue Reading
French “anti-gift” rules strictly regulate the relationship between the life sciences industry and healthcare professionals (“HCP”) and the possibility for companies active in the health sector to offer benefits, in cash or in kind to healthcare professionals, medical students or associations representing them. This includes a general prohibition against offering such benefits. To strengthen the … Continue Reading
On 21 February 2019, the European Commission wrote to the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”) and the Heads of Medicines Agencies of the EU-27 Member States concerning the acceptability of UK batch testing after Brexit (see the letter here). The letter seeks to address concerns that a number of pharmaceutical companies will not have been able … Continue Reading
This article was originally posted on our sister blog Global Policy Watch Introduction Health technology assessment (“HTA”) is a multidisciplinary assessment process that seeks to evaluate the added therapeutic value of health technologies (i.e., drugs, certain medical devices, medical treatments including surgical procedures, and measures for disease prevention and diagnosis) based on both clinical and … Continue Reading
The “Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity” is an international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way. It entered into force on 12 … Continue Reading
By Dr. Dr. Adem Koyuncu, Covington & Burling LLP In the EU, drug companies are not allowed to publicly promote prescription-only medicines. As courts also apply a broad interpretation of the term “promotional”, nearly all public statements that mention a prescription drug are likely to be qualified as illegal advertising. In certain circumstances, this may … Continue Reading
Yesterday’s Opinion from Advocate General Saugmandsgaard Øe (AG) in Hoffmann-La Roche vs Autorità Garante della Concurrenza e del Mercato takes the position that licensed and unlicensed pharmaceutical products used for the same indication may fall within the same relevant product market. The Italian Council of State (ICS) referred a number of questions to the EU … Continue Reading
This article was originally posted on our sister blog Inside Medical Devices The EU Regulatory Committee on Medical Devices recently voted in favor of the European Commission’s draft decision on the classification of cranberry products (the “Cranberry Decision”). In essence, the Cranberry Decision provides that cranberry products intended to prevent or treat cystitis and that … Continue Reading
Recently, the Council of State (i.e., the Italian supreme administrative court and consultative body) adopted an important advisory opinion, which allows for improved access to investigational medicines by patients in Italy. In particular, the Council of State found that patients may be enrolled in compassionate use programmes or supplied with a medicine listed in the … Continue Reading
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (the “CMA”) imposed a £84.2 million (€99.7 million) fine on Pfizer yesterday. In addition, the CMA also fined distributor Flynn Pharma £5.2 million (€6.1 million). The CMA found that Pfizer and Flynn Pharma abused their dominant positions by charging excessive and unfair prices for phenytoin sodium capsules, drugs used … Continue Reading
On 11 November 2016, the German Parliament passed another new law amending different parts of the German Medicines Act (Arzneimittelgesetz) and the Act on Advertising for Healthcare Products (Heilmittelwerbegesetz). The law is titled “Viertes Gesetz zur Änderung arzneimittelrechtlicher und anderer Vorschriften“. The draft was deliberated in the health committee of the Federal Council (Bundesrat) on … Continue Reading
On 28 November 2016, the Italian Chamber of Deputies approved the Draft Budgetary Law of 2017. Among other things, the Draft Law introduces new rules on the substitutability of biologics and the procurement of biosimilars. In particular, Article 59(11) of the Draft Law provides that: two products enjoy a biosimilarity relationship only where this has … Continue Reading
In its 18 October judgment the French Cour de Cassation upheld the €40.6m fine imposed on Sanofi-Aventis (“Sanofi”) by the French Competition Authority (“FCA”) in May 2013 and affirmed the judgment of the Paris Court of Appeal. The FCA found that Sanofi abused its dominant position in violation of Art. 102 of the Treaty on … Continue Reading
The Italian Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (“AGCM”) has fined Aspen over €5 million for having abused its dominant position – in violation of Art. 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – by increasing prices of its anti-cancer drugs Alkeran (melphalan), Leukeran (chlorambucil), Purinethol (mercaptopurine) and Tioguanine (thioguanine) … Continue Reading
Recently, the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) has published a new Concept Paper on Biosimilars. The Concept Paper outlines the regulatory status of biosimilars in Italy as well as their importance for the Italian healthcare sector. The new Concept Paper constitutes a revision of AIFA’s Position Paper on Biosimilars of 13 May 2013. Overall, the Concept … Continue Reading
On 30 June 2016, the TAR Lazio, a lower Italian administrative court, found that all non-prescription medicines may be advertised to the public. This ruling is of particular importance as until now the Italian Ministry of Health has interpreted the Italian medicines legislation as allowing the advertising to the public only of Over-the-Counter (OTC) products. … Continue Reading
On 2 March 2016, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published guidance on aspects of the Agency’s proactive disclosure policy for clinical reports (Policy 0070). The latest Proactive Disclosure Guidance can be found here and focuses on: Procedural aspects of submitting clinical reports. The anonymisation of clinical reports. The identification and redaction of commercially confidential information … Continue Reading
Recently, the German Federal Ministry of Health published a new draft law (“Viertes AMG-Änderungsgesetz”) which aims to amend several provisions of the German Drug Act (Arzneimittelgesetz) and other drug-related laws. Most of the intended amendments result from an adjustment of German laws to the new European Clinical Trials Regulation (Regulation (EU) No. 536/2014). For instance, … Continue Reading
Raj Gathani, a Trainee Solicitor in Covington’s London office, contributed to this post. On 1 September 2015 the General Court issued an interim order in favour of Pari Pharma GmbH (“Pari”) to suspend the European Medicines Agency’s (“EMA”) decision to grant a third-party, Novartis Europharm Ltd (“Novartis”), access to certain documents prepared during the Marketing Authorisation … Continue Reading
The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) has announced that, as of 22 July 2015, it makes available on its website the Public Assessment Reports (PARs) of medicinal products authorised in Italy through the national procedure. For the medicines authorised from 2015 onwards, AIFA will publish the full PARs together with a summary understandable to a lay … Continue Reading
