With Brexit proceedings formally in process, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is preparing to move out of its London, England, headquarters by 2019, which is when the UK will officially leave the EU. The Agency employs nearly 900 people and is the EU’s chief authority for the approval and safety monitoring of all drugs across continent, making it the largest EU government body in the UK. EMA has a yearly budget of €322 million ($347.2 million); consequently, it would be a valuable asset for other countries. Countries that have already made offers to host the EMA include Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, France, Ireland and Poland. However, due to the bureaucracy and politics involved in the Brexit proceedings, the EMA is at risk of being interrupted in its regulatory activities.

The precarious situation has already caused several key staff to leave the EMA and made it more difficult to attract recruits. Moreover, the number of applicants for the Agency’s trainee program has fallen approximately 65%, from an average of 2,000 to 700. The UK is projected to be hit the hardest with the relocating of the EMA, as 80% of the Agency’s workload is contributed by other European countries. The possibility of some kind of convergence deal is being pushed by drug manufacturers and UK officials to collaborate on a new regulatory approval process, which can help make the relocation process less challenging. The decision on where to relocate will be made by EU heads of state through the European Council.

Source: Reuters