Europe delays EMA relocation decision

The decision on which country will host Europe’s pharma regulator once the UK leaves the European Union has been postponed by one month.

Currently based in London, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is now expected to learn later this year in November where it will be moved to.

The decision will be taken at a meeting of the heads of state or government from the 27 states that will make up the EU after March 29, 2019, and its delay has prompted pharma to voice its concern.

European trade body EFPIA acknowledged the complexity of the Brexit negotiations, but argued in a statement “medicines constitute a special case in term of securing swift agreement on both sides”.

“It is imperative for the safeguarding of public health that we ensure future alignment between the UK and EU regulatory regimes in order to maintain capacity, processes and timeframes for the introduction of new medicines for patients,” it added.

Echoing this Dr Virginia Acha, executive director of research, medicine and innovation at the UK’s ABPI, said: “It will be critical to avoid divergence and duplication of regulatory regimes, so that patient safety is not put at risk."

The EU’s November meeting will also see the post-Brexit location decided of the European Banking Authority (EBA), which must leave London too.

EU member states can bid to host both, but - with the EMA’s fate to be decided first - the country that wins the right to the medicines regulator cannot then continue with its bid for the EBA.

Countries that have so far thrown their hats into the ring for the EMA contest include Copenhagen, Barcelona, Lisbon and Dublin - any more that are interested have until July 31 to submit their offer.