Video conference of ministers of health
12.05.2020
The health ministers of EU Member States hold a political debate on the challenges of providing access to medicines which has become increasingly urgent during the ongoing crisis related to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The meeting was an opportunity to exchange views on future activities in the context of the European Commission's work on the pharmaceutical strategy for Europe, which is planned to be published this year.
In an exchange of views with the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides and the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency, Guido Rasi, the ministers agreed that the assumptions of the future European Pharmaceutical Strategy should be linked to the European Industrial Strategy and the anticipated Economic Recovery Plan for Europe.
With regards to the proposed solutions most Member States, including Poland, emphasized that strategic action at the EU level should be focused on measures to restore the production of key medicinal products and active substances in Europe. Minimizing the EU's dependence on third-country suppliers and setting rules for the production of essential medicines in the EU is expected to be a priority for the new EU strategy, as confirmed by the EU Commissioner.
Poland during the videoconference was represented by the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Health, Maciej Miłkowski.