EMA relocation from London to Amsterdam

The European Medicines Agencies' Human Scientific Committees' Working Parties met in London with working parties for  Patients’ and Consumers’ Organisations (PCWP) and  Healthcare Professionals’ Organisations (HCPWP) for the last time in September 2018. These working parties have been meeting regularly in London for the last 5 years to share progress and expertise. From March 2019, the EMA will relocate to Amsterdam - its top priority business continuity for regulation and pharmacovigilance of medicinal products.

A key topic discussed was risk to disruption to the supply chain for centrally authorised medicinal products. 

Reasons:
- supply from the UK
- companies will have to make changes to their marketing authorizations for an EU without the UK.
A MAH may have to move from the UK to another country in the new EU. That may lead to a delay in production of relevant medicines.
Changes at the latest by December 2020.

Options – where available – include switching patients to other medicines with similar efficay and safety profiles. Additional burden of falsified medicines regulations coming at a difficult time.
Other topics included updates on electronic prescribing information, progress of the joint working parties topic group on Digital Media for Health.