24 January 2014, Brussels – EFPIA welcomes the European Parliament’s ITRE committee’s decision today, which marks another important milestone towards adopting the legislative package supporting the second Innovative Medicines Initiative.

IMI2 projects will help advance medical research in key areas of unmet medical need, from brain disorders to anti-microbial resistance. By working towards new treatments and improved delivery, IMI2 aims to improve “real world” care for patients, delivering the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.

IMI2 builds on the success of IMI, the first and largest public-private partnership of its kind worldwide. IMI is well recognised for the unique means of collaboration it has piloted and it is important that the legal framework supporting IMI2 not only implements previous learnings, but also allows for continued innovation and for testing new collaboration concepts. 

The ITRE report adopted today contains several provisions that will enhance the efficiency, inclusiveness and transparency of IMI2. There is concern, however, that some adopted amendments may have unintended consequences in terms of complexity and administrative burden, as well as undermining competitiveness – for instance due to additional layers of consultation and overlapping governance. This may hinder IMI from delivering to patients. There is also concern that some elements may also occasionally step on Member States’ competences. 

EFPIA calls on all policy makers to address these issues in the next steps of the legislative process. In order to ensure that patients do not lose out on the benefits IMI2 can offer, it is essential that these items are carefully considered and steps are taken to ensure they are both completely in line with the IMI scientific and operational objectives, as well as subsidiarity.  

It is also important that the legislative package is adopted before the parliament recess if IMI2 is to start in the second half of 2014. Together with five other Joint Technology Initiatives, IMI2 is part of the EU innovation package that is meant to accelerate the transformation of new sciences and technologies into results that will improve the lives of European citizens and European competitiveness. The sooner we get projects like IMI2 underway, the sooner Europe will benefit in its efforts to keep up with an increasingly competitive global market – and the sooner Europe’s citizens will benefit from the solutions that IMI2 can bring. 

About EFPIA

EFPIA represents the pharmaceutical industry operating in Europe. Through its direct membership of 33 national associations and 40 leading pharmaceutical companies, EFPIA provides the voice of 1,900 companies committed to researching, developing and bringing new medicines to improve health and quality of life around the world. The pharmaceutical industry invests 30 billion on research and development per year in Europe and directly employs 700,000 people including 116,000 in R&D units in Europe. 

EFPIA members are committed to delivering innovative medicines to address unmet needs of patients and reducing the burden of chronic diseases for Europe’s ageing population. EFPIA believes in close cooperation with its stakeholders to help create sustainable healthcare   systems and to develop prompt responses to health threats in Europe.

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