In response to the news on 20 November 2017 that the European Medicines Agency is to relocate to Amsterdam, Jonathan Bruun, CEO of the British Pharmacological Society, said:
It was always clear that the UK’s decision to leave the EU, and the EMA’s subsequent move away from London, would pose a daunting challenge to the regulation of medicines and devices. Today’s announcement brings us a step closer to facing that challenge – and we must be proactive.
The UK has a history of international leadership in this area, and because of this, UK patients are currently among the first to benefit from innovative medicines and devices. If UK expertise is lost, patients in both the EU and the UK will suffer.
It is still possible to avoid causing significant delays in accessing innovative medicines, but we must act quickly and decisively to put the needs of patients first. We must secure continued cooperation between the UK and the EU. UK agencies, including the MHRA, should be given the resources needed to secure the closest possible partnership with the EMA in Amsterdam. This is an urgent public health issue which demands an equally urgent response from government.