Scientific advice for public health emergencies and threats

The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Emergency Task Force (ETF) provides scientific advice to developers of medicines used in declared or potential public health emergencies and threats.

EMA's Emergency Task Force (ETF) supports its Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) in providing scientific advice to developers of human medicines under ETF's remit. 

Related medicines include:

• new or repurposed medicines intended to treat, prevent or diagnose a disease causing a declared public health emergency - for diseases like COVID-19 or mpox;
• medicines targeting selected pathogens and threats that can potentially cause a public health emergency - for viruses and outbreaks such as Chikungunya, avian influenza and Zika;
• medicines addressing antimicrobial resistance 

The ETF also provides scientific advice on aspects related to clinical trial applications for medicines used in declared and potential public health emergencies and threats. It does so in collaboration with clinical trial and ethics experts from European Union (EU) Member States.

The ETF follows the same rules and procedures for providing scientific advice as the Scientific Advice Working Party. 

For more information on ETF's role and activities, including a list pathogens and threats, see: 

• Emergency Task Force (ETF)

Early dialogue

If you are a developer of medicines under the ETF's remit, contact us early should you be interested in the following procedures:

• Early guidance on medicine development plan - when the plan is not yet suitable for formal scientific advice
• Requesting scientific advice
• Applying for a marketing authorisation

Get in touch by writing to [e-mail].

Early contact is particularly important during a declared public health emergency.

Scientific advice for clinical trials

If you are seeking ETF scientific advice on clinical trial applications for medicines used in declared or potential public health emergencies and threats, you should indicate in your application form the EU Member State(s) where you intend to run the clinical trial.

The ETF requires this information because it involves clinical trial and ethics experts from the respective EU Member State(s) in preparing the requested scientific advice. This aims to harmonise requirements for the authorisation of medicines and clinical trials.

During a public health emergency, scientific advice on the clinical aspects of medicine development or on clinical trials protocols is free of charge for medicines intended for a disease causing public health emergency.

Find more information in our guidance for developers: 

• Clinical trials in human medicines: Scientific advice for public health emergencies and threats