Inside EU Health: Merck caves to US demands and EMA marks 30th
Inside EU Health: Merck meets US on pricing and investment; EMA marks 30th; IHI call; last Ebola patient discharged
This morning Merck announced another US investment and the EU marks the 30th anniversary of EMA’s first
Merck bends the knee: Trump’s July letter warning that the US would “deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from abusive drug pricing practices” appears to be bearing fruit. Merck is the latest pharmaceutical company to make a deal, with agreements on pricing and large investment US-based manufacturing.
Catherine Feore
EMA 30 years on: The European Medicines Agency celebrates 30 years since approving its first drug. Executive Director Emer Cooke said the milestone reaffirms the agency’s founding vision — “one application, one assessment, one authorisation.”
EMA has evolved into a pillar of EU health policy. “Our aim is to ensure that Europe remains a leader in health innovation for the next generation,” said Health Commissioner Várhelyi.
Catherine Feore
Innovative Health Initiative: The draft text for the next call for projects has been published to help applicants prepare for the launch launch early next year. Five topics have been chosen tp match the specific objectives of the IHI Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), including: exploiting the full potential of digitlaization and overcoming fragmented health industry sectors and stakeholders focusing on unmet needs.
End of Ebola: WHO says that the last Ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been discharged, marking a major milestone in efforts to end the outbreak in Kasai Province. If no new cases are confirmed in the next 42-days the outbreak will officially be declared over. No new infections have been detected since 25 September.