Boost your career with EAHP BOOST

Join us at the first EAHP BOOST event on 27-28 September 2024 in Florence, Italy. Entitled “Humanizing the hi-tech pharmacy” participants will follow a: 

• Keynote lecture on management perspective on automatization; 

• First seminar block on Automation in reconstitution and production of medicines; 

• Second seminar block on Bedside dispensing services and pharmaceutical care. 

Throughout the event, attendees will engage in thought-provoking workshops in a “world café” style, sharing best practices and innovative approaches to harnessing technology for the betterment of patient outcomes. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your career and make a difference in the field of hospital pharmacy.  Find out more about BOOST and the registrations HERE. 

EAHP adopted and published its position paper on medicines shortages 

EAHP adopted its position paper on medicines shortages during its 54th general assembly. The position paper highlights the growing problem of medicines shortages globally and the work done by EAHP on the topic. Furthermore, it provides a set of recommendations for policy makers and other relevant stakeholders, namely: 

• Early and timely notification of shortages among manufacturers, supply chain actors, national and European regulators and healthcare professionals. 

• Improvement of information exchange and best practices sharing. 

• Harmonised communication, including for collecting and reporting data. 

• Creation of a multistakeholder advisory group to address key issues, such as stock management. 

• Improvement of procurement models. 

• Evaluation by national authorities of their shortages measures and management systems and removal of legal barriers preventing compounding in hospital pharmacies to face shortages. 

• Analysis by national authorities of domestic manufacturing capacities to assess threats to healthcare delivery. 

• Improvement of access to measures of quality manufacturing maturity (QMM).  

Learn more about medicines shortages and EAHP recommendations HERE.  

EAHP adopted and published its position paper on procurement 

 EAHP adopted its position paper on procurement during its 54th general assembly. This paper outlines EAHP’s stance on the crucial role of hospital pharmacists in ensuring that patients receive the necessary treatment with the right medicines and medical devices, at the best possible price and quality, precisely when needed with a set of key recommendations: 

• Public procurement should involve hospital pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to enhance the efficiency, quality and safety of medicinal product supply. 

• Ensure the participation of hospital pharmacists in HTA bodies to improve methodologies and patient access. 

• Procurement models should go beyond the single winner takes all concept and avoid selections only based on the lowest price. 

• Use hospital pharmacists’ knowledge in promoting the appropriate selection, procurement, logistics and use of biosimilar medicines and Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). 

• Implement environmental sustainability criteria in the procurement of medicinal products. 

Learn more about procurement and EAHP recommendations HERE.

EU developments

Conclusions of the Belgian Presidency of the Council and start of the Hungarian Presidency 

 

On 21 June, the Council, at the end of the Belgian Presidency, adopted its conclusions on the “Future of the European Health Union: A Europe that cares, prepares and protects”. The Council called on the European Commission to keep health as a priority in the next term, recommending to: 

1. Address the health workforce crisis. 
2. Address priority needs in healthcare and innovation policies. 
3. Take actions to prevent non-communicable diseases. 
4. Combat AMR in a One Health Approach. 
5. Strengthen the EU ecosystem for clinical trials. 
6. Take actions to ensure preparedness and response to communicable diseases. 
7. Improve and ensure the security of supply and access to medicines and medical devices, through -among others- the promotion of a voluntary exchange of data, a common strategy for stockpiling and the proposal of a Critical Medicines Act. 
8. Address the impact of climate change on health. 
9. Improve EU implementation tools, initiatives and fundings. 

The full Council conclusions on the European Health Union are available here.

Starting July 1, Hungary has taken over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, holding the position until 31 December 2024, when Poland will take over. While health is not among their main priorities, important ongoing initiatives will continue such as the revision of the pharmaceutical legislation, rare diseases, and mental health. Additionally, Hungary aims to develop Council Conclusions on cardiovascular diseases and address practical issues of organ donation in line with the Substance of Human Origins regulation. Learn more about the Hungarian presidency priorities HERE. 

 

Revision of the Pharmaceutical Legislation 

On 10 April the European Parliament adopted its position on the Revision of the EU Pharmaceutical Legislation to foster innovation and enhance the security of supply, accessibility and affordability of medicines. The discussion in the Council of the EU is ongoing and will pave the way for inter-institutional negotiations to reach a final compromised agreement. EAHP actively engaged at the European level and welcomes the Parliament position which included the views and role of hospital pharmacists and made several improvements on shortages, AMR, and accessibility to medicines. The Parliament also recognised the vital role of healthcare professionals. EAHP urges the Council to follow in the same direction. EAHP will continue collaborating with stakeholders and policymakers to ensure a successful result of the final legislation. Learn more about the Parliament position HERE: 

The European Medicine Agency has published its annual report for 2023 

 The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published its annual report for 2023 detailing the Agency’s contributions to public and animal health in the EU. The report offers insights into EMA’s strategic initiatives and priority areas that guided its work in 2023. The report highlights the evaluation and monitoring of human and veterinary medicines and key achievements in EMA’s three major strategic areas in 2023: cancer medicines, data-driven medicine regulation, and transparency and communication. It also contains a selection of key figures and interesting trends that illustrate the broader work of EMA and its impact. Find out more about EMA’s work in 2023 HERE. 

Consultations 

The European Commission has launched a four-weeks public consultation concerning the cooperation between EU countries and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Health Technology Assessment (HTA). The deadline is the 24 July 2024. 

The consultation can be accessed HERE 

The European Commission has launched two surveys on the use of AI in healthcare. While EAHP will respond to the survey, members are also welcome to send a response based on their experience within their institutions on the deployment of AI: 

• The survey on the deployment of AI in healthcare aims to identify and assess the most prominent sector-specific challenges and the accelerators for the deployment of AI. With deadline in early September 2024, the survey can be accessed HERE 
• The second survey aims to analyse the potential economic impact of applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare in Europe. With deadline on 28 July 2024, the survey can be accessed HERE