EFA

The first stakeholder meeting on implementing the new EU medicine safety legislation (pharmacovigilance legislation) was held at the headquartersof theEuropean Medicines Agency in April with the participation of a wide range of stakeholders including EFA board member Lina Buzermaniene. The new legislation, adopted in December 2010, aims to save lives by strengthening the European-wide system for monitoring the safety of medicines, and will introduce a new system to allow patients to report adverse drug reactions directly. It is due to be in place by July 2012. Lise Murphy, Eurordis representative and co-chair of EMA Patients and Consumers Working Party, explained that this law is important because patients can are in a position to supply information that is different from health professionals but equally as useful. All stakeholders at the meeting had the chance to express their views and concerns, and different questions were raised including how to harmonise information exchange across countries, how to ensure e-reporting standards, monitor transparency and ensure data protection. It was stressed that a user-friendly system will be essential in order to encourage patient uptake. The second stakeholder meeting will take place on June 17th at EMA headquarters. More information