12/12/2006
EMEA launches EudraPharm - the European medicines database
The European Medicines Agency has launched a new public database designed to facilitate access to information about medicines available in the European Union.The database, called EudraPharm, is a long-term project to give on-line access to information about all medicines, both human and veterinary, available to EU citizens. The database can be accessed online.
In the first phase the database gives access to information about medicines that have been authorised by the European Commission following assessment by the European Medicines Agency. These are mainly innovative new medicines, intended for treatment of diseases such as different types of cancer, AIDS/HIV, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders and rare conditions ('orphan drugs'). All of these so-called 'centrally authorised medicines' are approved for use in each of the 25 EU Member States and also in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, responsible for Enterprise and Industry, welcomed EudraPharm as a "great initiative to provide consumers with more information about their medicines. This database gives people the opportunity to check if they are in doubt, which creates a safer environment for users of medicines."
EMEA Executive Director Thomas Lönngren said: "Once fully developed, this database will be the reference point for independent information about all medicines available to Europeans, no matter whether these medicines have been authorised at EU or national level."
The database includes the summary of product characteristics, package leaflets and the labelling of medicinal products. It currently gives access to information only in English, but information in the other official EU languages will be available at a later phase, together with improved search functions. The Agency is working with medicines agencies in each Member State and the European Commission on the long-term objective of including information on all medicines approved through national procedures.
Source: European Medicines Agency (EMA)