On the move: MEB annual report 2022
The Medicines Evaluation Board publishes its 2022 annual report today. We look on the year the Covid pandemic petered out. This year’s theme is ‘On the move’ since 2022 was an eventful and dynamic year.
COVID-19 gradually gave way to business as usual as 2022 went on. But the virus wasn’t gone. “We took a number of important steps related to the coronavirus”, chair Ton de Boer explains. “This included expanding the indications for the Covid vaccines to include young people, and approving boosters and adapted vaccines for the different Covid variants. I look back with pride on the work the whole Agency has done.”
Connecting
What has really taken off in 2022 is the reforging of cooperation with the outside world. An important matter, says Director Paula Loekemeijer. “There are topics that really must be tackled throughout the chain of parties involved in medicines. These include our fellow agencies, experts in Europe, and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport of course. But also parties such as the Royal Dutch Society for the Advancement of Pharmacy (KNMP), the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre (Lareb) and other stakeholders.”
A lot has happened within the agency in 2022, Paula explains. “The organisational structure has been modified into a divisional structure. Tasks, roles and responsibilities being structured slightly differently, to make things clearer to the outside world. “We’ve also set a number of priorities to help us focus on our core tasks. And we’ve made a start on replacing and modernising the system we use to process all dossiers.”
Supply issues
Medicine shortages – or rather: supply issues of medicines – are something people have been aware of for years. Lately, they are becoming increasingly visible to the general public. For most supply issues, substitute medicines are available in the Netherlands. Where this is not the case we work with the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) and the companies concerned to find solutions. “We’re increasingly seeing reports of possible supply issues”, says Ton. “Despite the fact that solutions are being found for many supply issues, we’re also seeing pharmacists, doctors and patients being affected by genuine shortages.”
Other topics
In this year’s annual report not only Director Paula Loekemeijer and Chair Ton de Boer are looking back on 2022. Several MEB colleagues were also interviewed about their highlights for 2022. Amongst other things we focus on the new Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulation, scientific activities and developments and the important role the MEB plays in the European regulatory network.
MEB annual report 2022: read it now!
The annual report focuses on these and other activities, like the MEB Day and the historical thousandth College meeting which was held this year. Of course the facts and figures and the annual financial statement for 2022 are also present.