Date: 4 – 5 May 2023
Place: Scandinavian XPO
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Minister for Health Care Acko Ankarberg Johansson will host the meeting primarily for the health care ministers of the EU Member States.
The overall theme of this informal meeting is access to medicinal products. The programme will focus on shortages of medicinal products and crisis preparedness, and more broadly how the EU and its Member States can secure access to medicinal products – both new and existing stock – in daily work in non-crisis times. The meeting will part focus on the importance of restoring balance between accessibility and affordability of medicinal products in the European Union.
“This meeting comes at a time when Europe is in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put immense pressure on our national health systems. The issue of medicinal product shortages has been a challenge for a long time and was further accentuated during the pandemic,” says Minister for Health Care Acko Ankarberg Johansson.
Agenda highlights
Plenary session 1: Crisis preparedness and safe access to medicinal products
Supply preparedness plays an important role in building the resilience of communities. EU Member States need to have the ability to build supply preparedness as a part of health care preparedness adapted to both the short- and long-term perspective. This is essential to strengthen our health systems and establish a system where everyone has access to health care. At the same time we are facing an even more aggravated situation of shortages in the throughout Europe, which is affecting both patients and health care systems in all Member States.
Informal lunch discussion on the health care situation in Ukraine
The EU stands united in its support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of self-defence against Russia’s aggression. A well-functioning health care system is of utmost importance to ensure that Ukrainian citizens have access to the medical treatment they need. There is strong support among EU Member States for collaboration and coordination to boost the Ukrainian health care system, and the ministers will share their views on its development and the issue of Member State’s support for recovery.
Background: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Plenary session 2: Ensuring access to innovative and established medicines
The ministers will also discuss the importance of restoring the balance between accessibility and affordability of medicinal products in the European Union. This includes access to innovative treatments as well as established medicinal products. Many new drugs enter the market with very high prices, making affordable access difficult for both patients and payers. At the same time, the market rewards for the development of new drugs for unmet medical needs – such as new antimicrobials– are sometimes insufficient to incentivise the necessary research and development. The question is how to develop effective and co-ordinated responses to the identified challenges, to support access to both innovative and access to well-established products, while maintaining the sustainability of the healthcare system.
Media handbook and programme
—