The Regulation on Health Technology Assessment represents the very first output of the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe and is integral in ensuring a stronger European Health Union, EU Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides has told the European Parliament plenary, that meets in Strasbourg.
Kyriakides noted, among others, that the adoption of the Regulation was long-awaited and that the Regulation builds on many years of hard work by experts across the EU, and experience gathered during the three EUnetHTA Joint Actions facilitating cooperation between member states. It provides a comprehensive and sustainable legal framework to make the much-needed step forward. And it will deliver concrete benefits to our citizens, our member states, and our healthcare systems, she stressed.
As she noted, the HTA Regulation will enable high quality joint clinical assessments of innovative medicines and some medical devices at EU level. It will secure inclusiveness and transparency in the Health Technology Assessment process, and it will increase predictability for Member States’ authorities and for industry, she added.
Moreover, she said that it will help member states to take more timely and evidence-based decisions on patient access to innovative technologies within healthcare systems.
“More than ever, the current pandemic has underlined the need for enhanced cooperation between Member States – and this Regulation reflects and responds to that need. It is another important step towards a stronger European Health Union,” she added.
“With this Regulation, we are giving health experts, the producers, and most importantly of all – patients, a new framework that will help us to address unmet medical needs and facilitate access to innovative medicines and medical devices. I look forward to continuing working together to ensure the new rules are successfully and timely implemented,” she concluded.
Source: Cyprus News Agency