Inside EU Health: EU/Africa; clinical trials; JCA; French pharma; Russia; climate and health; Nobel Prize
Inside EU Health: EU/Africa; clinical trials; French pharma welcomes pricing agreement; EU monitoring of pneumonia death in Irkutsk; climate and health pledge; ERC-funded scientist among winners of 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine
EU announces €170 million investment in African health
The European Commission and EU member states have announced nearly €170 million in new health investments across Africa ahead of the World Health Summit in Berlin this weekend, aiming to strengthen healthcare systems, pandemic preparedness and access to essential medicines.
Catherine Feore
EU clinical trial pilot to become permanent in January 2027
The Accelerating Clinical Trials in the EU (ACT EU) advice pilot will become a permanent initiative from January 2027, ensuring continued technical and regulatory support for sponsors preparing clinical trial applications.
Launched in 2024, the pilot aims to improve application quality and streamline clinical trial assessments across the European Union. Coordinated by the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA) through the Clinical Trials Coordination Group (CTCG), the initiative provides sponsors with consolidated feedback from concerned member states before applications are submitted through the Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS).
Catherine Feore
European Commission selects first medical devices for joint clinical assessment
The European Commission has announced the selection of the first two medical devices for joint clinical assessment (JCA) under the EU Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Regulation, marking the start of joint EU-level clinical assessments for medical devices.
Both devices are designed to treat cardiovascular conditions and focus on mitral valve replacement.
Catherine Feore
French pharma industry sets out demands ahead of presidential election
France’s pharmaceutical industry is urging presidential candidates to put healthcare at the centre of their election campaigns, warning that worsening access to innovative medicines, declining competitiveness and mounting financial pressures threaten the country’s healthcare system.
Catherine Feore
French pharma welcomes pricing agreement but sounds alarm over tax
France’s pharmaceutical industry has welcomed government concessions on medicine pricing but warned that proposed 2027 taxes risk undermining efforts to attract investment.
“Having just signed a framework agreement aimed at strengthening France’s attractiveness and improving access to medicines, we call on the Government to honour its commitments through the 2027 Social Security Financing Act,” said Leem President Jean-François Brochard.
Catherine Feore
EU monitoring reports of possible pneumonic plague incident in Siberia
The European Commission says it is closely monitoring reports of a possible pneumonic plague case in Siberia. The ECDC says that it is closely monitoring the situation and remains in contact with the World Health Organization.
Catherine Feore
More than 100 European mayors back climate and health pledge
More than 100 mayors, deputy mayors and elected representatives from 60 cities across 22 European countries have signed the Cork Call to Action on Climate and Health, pledging local action on nature, food, active travel, housing and preparedness for extreme weather.
Catherine Feore
ERC-funded scientist among winners of 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine
Peter Hegemann, whose pioneering research has received two European Research Council (ERC) grants, has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, alongside Karl Deisseroth and Georg Nagel, for discoveries that revolutionised neuroscience.
ERC President Maria Leptin highlighted the importance of investing in fundamental research call their breakthrough a reminder of why Europe needs to invest in blue-sky research and give outstanding researchers the freedom to follow their scientific instincts.
Hegemann joins 15 previous ERC grantees who have received Nobel Prizes.
Catherine Feore