Healthcare professionals

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has been interacting with European healthcare professionals in various areas of its work since it was founded in 1995. As prescribers and handlers of the medicines that the Agency evaluates, healthcare professionals are key stakeholders in the Agency's work and have specific knowledge and expertise to offer. The Agency is committed to maintaining a strong working relationship with this group.

Key milestones of EMA interaction with healthcare professionals

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Framework for interaction

In December 2011, the EMA Management Board endorsed the framework for interaction between EMA and healthcare professionals and their organisations:

• Framework for interaction between the European Medicines Agency and healthcare professionals

The framework describes the objectives and the terms of reference for this interaction and aims to:

• support the Agency in accessing the best independent expertise in any matter related to medicines;
• contribute to more efficient and targeted communication to healthcare professionals;
• enhance understanding of the role of the EU medicines regulatory network.

This framework is in line with EMA's overarching framework for stakeholder relations management, which the EMA Management Board adopted in June 2016:

• EMA stakeholder relations management framework

Preparing framework of collaboration with academia

During its June meeting, the Healthcare Professionals' Working Party (HCPWP) held a workshop to present and discuss the pillars of a future framework of collaboration with representatives of academia:

• HCPWP workshop with academia (15/6/2015)

EMA will publish a full workshop report in mid-2016.

Objectives of the framework include enhancing academia’s understanding of the European medicines regulatory framework and increasing regulators’ understanding of the needs and expectations of academia.

This will complement exiting frameworks with patients and consumers and healthcare professionals.

EMA's Management Board is expected to adopt the final framework at its December 2016 meeting.

Activities of healthcare professionals

Healthcare professionals are involved in a wide range of activities at the Agency, including:

• as members of the Management Board;
• as members of its scientific committees;
• responding to specific requests from the Agency’s scientific committees and working parties;
• taking part in discussions on the development and authorisation of medicines;
• reviewing written information on medicines prepared by the Agency;
• being involved in the preparation of guidelines;
• taking part in Agency conferences and workshops.

More information

• Getting involved
• Eligible healthcare professionals' organisations
• Healthcare Professionals' Working Party
• Resources for healthcare professionals
• Key documents