EFA

In March 2010 EFA became full member of the Patients and Consumers Working Party (PCWP) at the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The EMA is a decentralised body of the European Union responsible for the scientific evaluation of applications and safety monitoring for European marketing authorisation for medicinal products. The Agency also plays a role in stimulating innovation and research in the pharmaceutical sector and gives scientific advice to companies for the development of new medicinal products. The Patients and Consumers Working Party (PCWP) was created to provide recommendations to the EMA on all matters of interest to patients in relation to medicinal products. The PCWP contributes in helping adapting information provided by EMA to the needs of patients and consumers. It helps to develop appropriate communication tools between the agency and patients and consumers, contributes to increase awareness of patients in relation to the good use of medicines. It also gives general advice in relation to product specific matters – experts from relevant organizations take part in Scientific Advisory Groups meetings when requested. In this framework EFA has delegated experts for the quality review of Patient Information Leaflets of medicines (PILs) and European Public Assessment report (EPARS are documents which provide a summary of the grounds for the EMA scientific opinion on granting a marketing authorisation for a medicine.) Lina Buzermaniene, EFA EMA Coordinator and representative at EMA PCWP. For more information: http://www.ema.europa.eu/Patients/PCWP.htm