European Medicines Agency

Why are new cancer drugs available to private patients but not public patients?

The approval for the public system is a long process, entailing between 20 and 30 steps

Mon May 20 2024 - 06:02

Collaborating through gritted teeth

Pharma sector stakeholders still scoring points off each other despite new resources and talk of ‘shared purpose’

Thu Mar 14 2024 - 06:00

EMA issues warning for males with epilepsy or bipolar disorder being treated with group of medicines

Dr Muiris Houston: Drugs used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder linked to neurodevelopmental disorders in patients’ children

Tue Jan 16 2024 - 19:00

Innovation awards finalist: Cassandra AI helps pharma firms tackle regulatory hurdles

Icon has developed Cassandra AI which predicts likely post-marketing requirements

Thu Nov 09 2023 - 00:10

EU health authorities urge new Covid-19 vaccination for all over-60s

Newly updated Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are targeted towards dominant strains of virus

Thu Sept 21 2023 - 20:22

Doctors warn they cannot prescribe appropriate drugs to 25% of cancer patients

Warning comes amid shortcomings in the system for approving new medicines

Sun Aug 20 2023 - 13:10

Laya and Irish Life customers to get faster access to cancer drugs following policy U-turn

Public patients may now have to wait up to two years longer than all private patients for access to innovative therapies

Tue Jun 27 2023 - 05:00

BioNTech/Pfizer’s mooted EU deal for 70m Covid shots threatens rivals

European health officials have advocated portfolio diversity to help fight different variants

Mon May 01 2023 - 13:24

EU’s proposed pharma overhaul seeks to increase access to medicines

Move also aims to encourage research into neglected treatments

Wed Apr 26 2023 - 13:03

Access to groundbreaking anti-obesity drugs to be limited due to ‘unprecedented’ demand

Half of all applications for first new-generation treatment for weight loss refused due to strict criteria

Sat Apr 15 2023 - 05:00

Friedreich’s ataxia: ‘A game-changer drug is on the horizon so why am I afraid?’

Will I have to spend years of my life fighting for the HSE to fund life-changing treatment while this disease eats away at me?

Mon Apr 10 2023 - 05:01

EU pharmaceutical reforms fail to confront reality of medicine shortages

Refusal of strategy to be published this week to address pricing issues for common off-patent therapies likely only to worsen supply issues

Mon Mar 27 2023 - 05:00

Medicines agency and Amsterdam council clash over proposed location of new ‘erotic centre’

Mayor rejects suggestion the erotic centre would have any impact on the safety of the medicines agency or its staff

Thu Mar 09 2023 - 17:52

Solicitor calls for redress scheme to avoid ‘perpetual litigation’ over anti-epilepsy drug

Up to 1,250 children could experience some form of neurodevelopmental delay as a result of exposure to valproate in utero - HSE report

Thu Mar 02 2023 - 19:00

Ikea’s new network; Revolut’s Irish credit cards; and in praise of bosses’ foibles

Business Today: the best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk

Mon Feb 20 2023 - 06:22

Plastics issues hit supplies of some medicines

Nasal sprays, asthma inhalers and eye drops the latest to experience shortages in Irish market, says Azure Pharma

Mon Feb 20 2023 - 05:00

Worst of medicine shortage is ‘over’, says Irish boss of EU agency

Emer Cooke says the situation was ‘unique’ and measures are being taken to avoid a repeat next winter

Thu Feb 16 2023 - 05:00

Fewer than 3,000 people prescribed antiviral pill that prevents them becoming seriously ill with Covid

Attempts to make Paxlovid more freely available have so far not resulted in a significant uptake of the treatment

Sun Feb 05 2023 - 19:00

Popular painkillers Solpadeine and ibuprofen feature on latest medicine shortages list

Surge in demand this winter puts pressure on supplies amid sharp disagreement over long-term impact of pricing

Mon Jan 30 2023 - 05:00

Lives of 300 Irish people with ‘butterfly skin’ could be transformed by new treatment

Government urged to secure supply of the breakthrough treatment as soon as possible

Sun Jan 15 2023 - 15:57

Regulators give green light to vaccine that targets dominant variant of Covid-19

Adapted boosters to be available within days following recommendation by EMA

Mon Sept 12 2022 - 19:12

Coronavirus: Updated boosters targeting Omicron variant likely within weeks following EU approval

Separate shots developed by rivals Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are now set for EC approval

Thu Sept 01 2022 - 15:23

Covid-19 Q&A: When can I get my second booster and where?

Authorisation in European Union for Omicron-specific vaccines expected next month

Mon Aug 15 2022 - 12:53

Covid boosters Q&A: When will rollout begin, for whom and why?

Depending on your age group and level of vulnerability, you may be set for a jab in autumn as infection threats intensify

Mon Aug 01 2022 - 17:18

Covid-19: ‘No clear evidence’ on second boosters for under 60s - European health agencies

ECDC and EMA say there is ‘no clear evidence’ to support wider second booster campaign

Mon Jul 11 2022 - 17:45

Bringing some hope to children living a life in pain

Amryt Pharma has delivered first ever therapy for patients suffering from EB, or butterfly skin disease

Fri Jul 08 2022 - 12:00

Valneva shares dive 20% as Covid vaccine deal with EU falls apart

Valneva relies on traditional vaccine technology used in some shots against polio and hepatitis

Mon May 16 2022 - 15:24

Ireland’s medicines budget falls as percentage of healthcare spending

State spent 13.4% of €19bn budget on medicine, pharmacies and wholesaling in 2021

Mon May 09 2022 - 05:20

Just one in five new cancer treatments available to Irish patients

Delays in reimbursing new treatments may affect course of illnesses, study says

Tue Apr 26 2022 - 02:00

Irish pharma firm Amryt nears approval for butterfly skin treatment

EMA has 67 days to decide whether to back recommendation of its expert committee

Fri Apr 22 2022 - 19:47

EU regulator backs Pfizer Covid shot as booster after other vaccines

Recommendation comes as global cases of virus top 500m amid Omicron surge

Fri Apr 22 2022 - 16:07

European Parliament backs rule change to ensure flow of medicines to Northern Ireland

North is granted a derogation in bid to resolve ‘main issue’ with NI protocol

Thu Apr 07 2022 - 15:16

Too early for second Covid-19 booster for general population, say European agencies

Another 7,005 Covid cases reported in State as Niac approves extra booster for over-65s

Thu Apr 07 2022 - 07:45

Highly transmissible BA.2 variant accounts for 95% of Covid infections in Ireland

Delta variant which was dominant late last year is no longer found here

Sun Mar 27 2022 - 19:13