EMA needs to tighten up conflict of interest procedures
EMA has better record than other EU agencies but reforms are needed, says European Court of Auditors
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) needs to tighten up its conflict of interest policies regarding the experts that it uses to help draft market regulation decisions, the European Court of Auditors has concluded.
The European Union’s (EU) financial watchdog said that while EMA has a better record in this area than other EU agencies (for example, the European Aviation Safety Agency), reforms are needed. EMA nomination and appointment procedures ‘do not include adequate screening of the candidates…in relation to conflict of interest situations,’ the Court said. And in many cases these appointments are actually made by the European Commission.
‘A member of [EMA’s] scientific committee was appointed and the declaration of interest was evaluated by EMA only after his appointment,’ the Court said. ‘While the evaluation showed conflicting interests which should have precluded his appointment, EMA could not dismiss him.’
There is concern that patient and consumers organisations fully financed by one pharmaceutical company could participate in EMA’s regulatory activities.
Although EMA does have conflict of interest procedures, they do not cover national government experts working on the tasks outsourced to national regulatory agencies. Also, families of EMA staff members can have pharmaceutical financial interests and patent ownerships.