Chair of the European Network of Paediatric Research at EMA re-elected

5 October 2022

The European Network of Paediatric Research at the European Medicines Agency (Enpr-EMA) has re-elected Pirkko Lepola of the Finnish Investigators Network for Pediatric Medicines (FinPedMed) as chair of its coordinating group. Mrs Lepola will continue to co-chair the Enpr-EMA coordinating group for the next three years together with Gunter Egger, scientific officer in EMA’s paediatric medicines office. The vote took place during the annual meeting of the Enpr-EMA coordinating group in October 2022.

Pirkko Lepola is the Executive Secretary of FinPedMed at the Department of Children and Adolescents of Helsinki University Central Hospital and Development Manager of the New Children's Hospital in Helsinki. She has strong expertise in paediatric clinical trials, paediatric research ethics, trial management and drug development.

Mrs Lepola has led a number of initiatives and working groups that had a significant impact on the development of paediatric medicines across Europe.

Accepting the re-election, Mrs Lepola said: “The past 10 years of Enpr-EMA have proven how effective and active this pan-European platform can be. We currently have over 50 members and a large stakeholder group, including companies and academic societies. Together we can facilitate the design and conduct of high-quality paediatric clinical trials, generating and sharing information and knowledge at all stages of the development of medicines for children.’’

She added: ‘‘My aim is to continue the good work of Enpr-EMA and to strengthen European and global collaboration between the various existing and new initiatives around this topic. It is important to support new networks and encourage them to join Enpr-EMA to enable the development of new safe and effective paediatric medicines.’’

Enpr-EMA is a network of research networks, investigators and centres with recognised expertise in performing clinical studies in children. It was established by EMA in 2008 to better coordinate studies for medicines in children to avoid duplication of studies and testing in children, and to build the necessary scientific and administrative competencies at European level. The aim of the Enpr-EMA is to increase availability of medicines authorised for use in children.