The European Medicine’s Agency (EMA) celebrated two important milestones: its 30th anniversary and 20 years of activity of the Patients’ and Consumers’ Working Party (PCWP). EFA has been part of PCWP since 2013, contributing the perspectives of people living with allergies and respiratory diseases to discussions into EMA activities. EFA joined the anniversary celebrations at EMA’s headquarters in Amsterdam and takes this opportunity to reflect on three decades of European medicines regulation, as well as the growing role of patients in shaping how medicines are assessed, monitored and communicated.
30 years of EMA
Since 1995, the EMA has been regulating medicine development in Europe, ensuring that medicines are safe, effective and of high quality. EMA’s centralised procedures bring lifesaving medicines to Europeans and play a key role in protecting Europe’s public health.
EMA’s work also develops alongside wider EU health and pharmaceutical policy. The last years have been especially important for medicines for our patient community, with major developments including the revision of the European pharmaceutical legislation, the start of the implementation of the EU Health Technology Assessment Regulation and the adoption of the EU Critical Medicines Act.
Together, these initiatives are shaping how medicines are developed, assessed, made available and monitored across Europe. For patients, these policy and regulatory changes can directly influence access to treatment, the availability of medicines and the way patient needs and experiences are considered throughout the medicines lifecycle.
In its 2025 annual report, EMA reflects on recent and long-term achievements and highlights how it marked this occasion with a series of events.
EFA brings patients’ perspective to EMA webinar on shortages, 2025
EFA’s involvement in EMA’s patient activities
EFA joined the PCWP in 2013 and has been an active member of the working group ever since. Several times a year, EFA heads to Amsterdam for PCWP meetings, exchanging with EMA representatives, healthcare professionals and fellow patient organisations on regulatory developments, initiatives supporting better evaluation, stakeholder involvement and issues affecting patients. Just recently, EFA President Károly Illy joined the PCWP meeting from 30 June – 1 July, following regulatory developments and marking the 20th anniversary of the PCWP.
Over the years, members of the EFA representatives have also participated in EMA’s annual training for patient experts. These trainings have strengthened EFA’s understanding of the European medicines regulatory framework and helped us become more informed and effective advocates for people living with allergies, asthma and COPD.
Annual patient training, 2025
The patient’s voice has become increasingly integrated into EMA’s regulatory framework. However, progress has not always been linear, and there is still more to do to ensure that patients have a stronger and more meaningful role in decisions affecting medicines and healthcare. EFA contributes to this work by actively responding to patient reviews in our disease areas, as well as preventative treatments which have impact for our community. This engagement would not be possible without the many volunteers from across EFA membership. Over the years, EFA has, in collaboration with the EMA, also organised capacity building activities for our membership on engaging with the European medicines review.
EFA's Meet & Greet training increased patients' knowledge of the new EMA mandate and Clinical Trials Regulation, 2022
EFA participates in EMA workshop on integrating patient experience in drug development, 2022
As EMA celebrates 30 years of work and the PCWP marks two decades of patient involvement, EFA congratulates the Agency on these important milestones. We value our long-standing collaboration with EMA and look forward to continuing to strengthen the patient voice in European medicines regulation in the years ahead!
EFA participates in 10 year anniversary PCWP, 2016