European Medicines Agency welcomes new members and observers to its Management Board

30 September 2005

Meeting for the first time in its full composition, including the recently appointed patient and healthcare professional representatives, the European Medicines Agency's Management Board met on 28-29 September 2005. Observers from Bulgaria and Romania participated in the Board meeting following signature of the Treaties of Accession in April 2005. Colleagues from the national authorities of the two countries will also work with the Agency's scientific committees as active observers in preparation for EU accession.

The first decision of the full Board was the renewal of Thomas Lönngren's mandate as Executive Director of the EMEA for a further 5 years to December 2010. A separate press release announcing the renewal was issued on 28 September 2005.

Other important agenda items of the two-day meeting included:

• Extension of the pilot scheme for free scientific advice for veterinary medicines for minor uses and minor species. The scheme is part of the Agency's strategy to improve the availability of veterinary medicines for minor uses and minor species.
• Adoption of criteria for the involvement of patients' and consumers' organisations in EMEA activities. The criteria, prepared together with the EMEA/CHMP working group with patients' organisations, enable the Agency to establish contacts with the appropriate patients' and consumers' organisations on a transparent basis. These criteria will be a part of the Agency's wider strategy on the interaction with stakeholders.
• Revision of the EMEA policy and procedure on the handling of conflicts of interests for EMEA scientific committees members and EMEA experts, to take into account experience gained since March 2004, when it first came into effect. The main changes will allow the Agency to manage better any real or potential conflicts of interests of committee members and experts arising from prior employment in the pharmaceutical industry, previous experience with competing products and improved guidance on how to evaluate potential conflicts.

The next meeting of the Management Board is on 15 December 2005.

EMEA welcomes new members and observers to its Management Board

Reference Number: EMEA/319013/2005