Ref. Ares(2021)1901342 - 16/03/2021
Request for EU-Industry cooperation to share information on EU-wide demand for ICU medicines and
on member state actual inventories for Covid-19 second wave risk planning
Brussels, 15 September 2020
Ms Von der Leyen,
Ms Stella Kyriakides,
President of the European Commission
Commissioner for Health, European Commission
Dear President Von der Leyen, Dear Commissioner Kyriakides,
As you are aware, our pharmaceutical trade associations joined forces to coordinate a project on the supply of
critical ICU medicines for Covid-19 under the guidance of a Commission Decision on 6 April 2020. The purpose of
this project was to respond to the massive demand for ICU medicines required to put patients on mechanical
respirators during the first wave of the pandemic. Through a combination of industry scale up and cooperation
with EU authorities for regulatory flexibility, we were able to massively increase the supply of these critical
medicines (in some cases up to 900% increase over the same period in 2019) and to work closely with the EU to
ensure solidarity to move the medicines across borders to patients in need. We were also able to maintain a
careful assessment of demand and supply with some technical support from our companies and AT Kearney.
Throughout this process, we have involved the relevant EU officials or agencies and shared the data generated
by our project. Where necessary, we have worked closely with the Commission to prevent hoarding, to support
a functioning internal market and more generally EU solidarity.
We have maintained our industry coordination to plan for the risks of a second wave of the pandemic, which we
had anticipated to be this autumn, due to the relaxation of lockdown measures, the movement of people on
vacation and the risk of a flu outbreak in combination with Covid-19. As our industry depleted their stocks to
supply for the first wave and because of strong demand from other regions around the world, our companies are
now replenishing inventories (raw material or other supplies such as vials needed for production) to plan for a
second wave risk in Europe.
We urge the Commission to continue to encourage Member States to work with industry on this matter.
Currently, we lack clear information on patient demand (as, for example, hospitalisation rates relative to
infection rates have changed considerably) and on national inventories of ICU medicines that have been held
over from the first wave by hospitals and by Member States. Companies are extremely challenged in rebuilding
inventories and planning for allocation based on patient need and EU solidarity to Member States without this
information. We note that a recent EMA survey of the Member States indicates that they have shared this
information with industry locally, but this contrasts with the views expressed by all of the companies in our ICU
medicines project which are the major suppliers of these medicines in Europe.
Rue d’Arlon 50 - 1000 Brussels - Belgium
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We kindly request that the Commission continues to ensure EU level cooperation and coordination in planning
for the risk of a second wave of Covid-19. This will require increased transparency on critical data, especially
demand estimates and existing inventory levels. Industry, coordinated by our associations for this project, is
ready to engage constructively and cooperatively on this with you and the Member States in the interests of
European patients.
Thank you for your time and urgent consideration.
Best wishes,
Sent electronically, original signed by:
Adrian van den Hoven
Nathalie Moll
Director General
Director General
Medicines for Europe
EFPIA
patients • quality • value • sustainability • partnersh
Electronically signed on 16/03/2021 15:54 (UTC+01) in accordance with article 11 of Commission Decision C(2020) 4482ip
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