News and Educations

EMA tightens rules on 'revolving door' for committee members and experts

06.05.2015

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has updated its rules on declarations of interests for scientific committee members and experts. The updates further strengthen EMA’s policy by restricting involvement of experts in the scientific assessment of medicines if they plan to take up a job in the pharmaceutical industry. EMA’s declaration of interest policy aims for a balanced approach by effectively restricting the involvement of experts with possible conflicts of interests in the Agency’s work while maintaining EMA’s ability to access the best available expertise.

EMA considers that employment in a pharmaceutical company is incompatible with an involvement in Agency activities. Whenever a member of a scientific committee or working party informs the Agency that he/she intends to work for a pharmaceutical company, the Agency will immediately restrict the member from any participation in the evaluation of medicines. This ensures the independence and integrity of the Agency’s scientific recommendations.

Further information is available on the EMA’s webpages, or here.

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