Today, the European Parliament approved a new (recast) Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (“UWWTD”) that will impose new additional costs on producers marketing pharmaceutical and cosmetic products in the European Economic Area by the end of 2027. Some studies suggest that the costs that producers would have to collectively pay could
Continue Reading New EU Wastewater Treatment Fees on Producers of Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Products
Last week (28 March 2024), the UK Health Research Authority (“HRA”) published a draft model investigator-initiated study agreement (“mIIS-CTA”) to govern investigator-initiated clinical studies (“IIS”) that involve NHS patients and receive support from commercial partners. The HRA is calling for comments on the draft mIIS-CTA by 13 May 2024.Continue Reading UK HRA Consults on a New Model Investigator-Initiated Study Agreement
Tune into this episode of Covington’s Life Sciences Audiocast, where Sibel Yilmaz, Majken Lagerbielke, and Leire Garagorri Eguidazu discuss the new market definition notice published by DG COMP, specifically the latest on the new guidance concerning pharmaceutical innovation markets and possible implications for analysing M&A and licensing deals.
Tune into this episode of Covington’s Life Sciences Audiocast, where Winsome Cheung and George Jenkins discuss the key trends in Life Sciences Transactions for 2024. The speakers discuss the outlook for deal-making in Life Sciences and predictions for deal trends, including in relation to nuclear medicine, GLP-1, antibody-drug conjugates and
Continue Reading EU Talking Life Sciences Audiocast: Life Sciences Transactions – Outlook and Trends for 2024The European Union has adopted various new rules for emergency situations relating to public health. These new measures build on the experience gained from the COVID-19 pandemic and give new powers to the European Commission, in close cooperation with the Member States.
The new rules create a complex public health
Continue Reading EU Health Emergency Mechanisms: Impact on Medical Devices
The High Court has quashed decisions by the Food Standard Agencies in England, Wales and Scotland (“the FSAs”) that concluded that monk fruit decoctions are a novel food. The Court ordered the FSAs to re-consider their position by assessing all of the evidence submitted to the FSAs on its own merits, rather than the FSAs’ previous approach of rigidly applying (non‑binding) European Union guidance. The judgment is available here. This case is the first of its kind in Great Britain and is relevant for individuals and companies considering whether or not their foods or food ingredients are novel under the GB novel food regime, which requires evidence of significant consumption of a food prior to 1 May 1997 to conclude the food is “non‑novel”, and not requiring a novel food approval. Continue Reading Food Standard Agencies in Great Britain unlawfully classified monk fruit as novel, High Court rules
On March 11, 2023, the UK Government published its response (“Government Response”) to an independent review on equity in medical devices commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care (“Review”). The Government Response is not guidance nor policy rather it is intended to act as an action plan for tackling potential bias in the design and use of medical devices. The Government Response fully accepts, and in turn makes a series of commitments in response to, the findings of the Review (which is broken down into 18 recommendations, 51 sub-recommendations, and 3 further calls to action). Importantly, the Government “wholeheartedly agrees…that medical technology should be unbiased and equitable.”
Bias in the medical device space, and within healthcare more broadly is (quite rightly) a topic of growing importance to governments, regulators and industry alike. We set out some key points of interest from both the Review and the Government Response below. We look forward to seeing more developments and guidance in this area going forwards given its significance to patients and the delivery of healthcare. Continue Reading UK Government Outlines New Action to Tackle Biases in Medical Devices
A UK judge has decided that Odysea Ltd, an artisan food company, can use the word “raw” to describe its small-batch, minimally‑processed honey. Judge Neville, of the First‑tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber), gave the decision on 26 February 2024. The judgement is available here and opens with a classic reference to Winnie the Pooh:
In an earlier blog, we wrote that the German regulation of pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement is one of the most complicated legal areas in the entire world of life sciences laws. With the new draft “Medical Research Act” (Medizinforschungsgesetz or MFG) that came out in
Continue Reading Germany again to reform drug pricing and reimbursement laws – With “confidential reimbursements prices” that impede international reference pricingSignificant changes are on the horizon for clinical trials in Germany. At the end of January 2024, the German Federal Health Ministry has presented the draft for a “Medical Research Act” (Medizinforschungsgesetz or MFG). The draft bill proposes legislative amendments in several areas that span from
Continue Reading Germany will revise laws for clinical trials with pharmaceuticals, medical devices and companion diagnostics – Overview of the “Medical Research Act”