EU health directorate to retain oversight of medicines

Amid pressure from politicians and patient groups, Jean-Claude Junker, Commission president-elect, appears to have performed a U-turn on moving the European Medicines Agency and policy on pharmaceuticals from DG Sanco and putting it under the control of the directorate for Enterprise and Industry.

On 8 October, MEPs claimed that they had won a concession from Juncker, which will give the health directorate joint decision-making powers.

Gianni Pittella, the President of the S&D group, said the Parliament had negotiated, "A new shared competence for medicines and medical devices between the directorates for health and consumer affairs (DG SANCO), and enterprise and industry (DG Enterprise).”

Juncker’s change of heart has been broadly welcomed. The Greens/European Free Alliance (EFA) said, “The lobbying of the pharmaceutical industry has not been successful thanks to the responsiveness of the European Parliament, but also through effective advocacy of patient organisations.”

Monique Goyens, Director General of the European Consumer Organisation said, “If confirmed, it means our efforts have borne fruit. Law-making when it comes to pharma issues in Europe must be put in the right hands. After all, consumers’ health is a right, not a commodity.”

For weeks a row over medicine’s rightful place has simmered, with many feeling the plan to move oversight to DG  Enterprise played straight into the hands of big pharma.