MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd December, 2020) The adoption of a new pharmaceutical program by the European Union is an important step toward reducing the bloc's dependence on foreign countries such as China, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Wednesday.
"I would like to thank the [European] Commission for the fact that, a few days ago, it tabled the EU Pharmaceutical Strategy. This is a good basis for our aim of becoming less reliant on a number of producer countries, particularly China. So we want to strengthen the EU's position in the world for manufacturing pharmaceuticals. We now need to take up these proposals and follow them up with concrete steps and decisions," Spahn said at a joint press conference with European Commissioner for Health and food Safety Stella Kyriakides.
Last week, the European Commission adopted a Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe to innovate the EU's pharmaceutical industry in terms of sustainability, competitiveness, as well as affordability and safety of medicines. It also aims at enhancing the bloc's crisis preparedness and response mechanisms.
The plan will be discussed further at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) meeting later on Wednesday.
