1. Introduction On 18 September 2019, the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published new guidance regarding the role and responsibilities of the “UK Responsible Person”. This is part of MHRA’s continued effort to regulate medical devices in the event of a no-deal Brexit. With the possible withdrawal of the UK from
Category Archives: UK & EU Public Law & Policy
Subscribe to UK & EU Public Law & Policy RSS FeedFDA and EMA Address Quality and Manufacturing Challenges for Breakthrough Therapies Undergoing Expedited Approval
On July 31, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published a joint report on their efforts to support the development of and expedite access to breakthrough therapies that address unmet medical needs. In addition to outlining the tools currently available to manufacturers seeking expedited approval of breakthrough
Foreign Investment Control on the Rise – New List of EU Member States’ FDI Screening Mechanisms
Foreign direct investment (“FDI”) screenings have become a relevant factor for global transactions in recent years. More and more jurisdictions are introducing or ramping up their powers for scrutinising FDI, which parties to M&A transactions and their advisors need to consider when structuring such deals and planning for completion of the projects. In Europe, the
Poland: Impact of a no-deal Brexit scenario on biocidal products’ data changes, and the validity of parallel import licences for medicinal products
The President of the Polish Office for the Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products issued two more Brexit related communiques.[1] The first Brexit related communique concerned changes to: data which was included within marketing permissions, data being made available on the market, and data concerning the use of biocidal products. The second
Study shows complexity and uncertainty of IoT regulation in Europe
A Hogan Lovells study comparing of regulatory requirements in the European Union, United States, and China shows the complexity and uncertainty of the regulatory framework relevant to Internet of Things (IoT) in Europe. The number of telecoms regulatory constraints affecting IoT in the EU is almost twice as high as in the United States and
Poland: official position of the competent authority on consequences for medical devices in the event of a no-deal brexit
On 1 March 2019[1], the President of the Polish Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products issued yet another communique concerning consequences of Brexit, this time with respect to the medical devices. It is announced that in the event of a “no-deal” Brexit, as from 30 March 2019, the United Kingdom
Poland: Post-registration changes required in case of no-deal Brexit
On 25 February 2019[1], the President of the Polish Office for the Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products issued a communique concerning the necessary post-registration changes in the event of a “no-deal” Brexit. In the event of a “no-deal” Brexit, the President of the Office has recommended that companies immediately introduce post-registration
New Brexit Q&A provides several examples in relation to the “placing on the EU market”of products including medical devices
On 1 February 2019, the European Commission published a new Q&A document to give further guidance on the Notice to stakeholders-withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules in the field of industrial products (“the Notice”). This Notice applies, among others, to medical devices, active implantable medical devices and in vitro medical devices. The Q&A
The European Commission started implementing its “no-deal Brexit” Contingency Action Plan
Introduction On 19 December 2018, the European Commission published a Communication addressed at the EU institutions. The Communication relates to the preparation for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, in case of a “no-deal” Brexit. The Communication discussed 14 measures that the European Commission has adopted to prepare for the “no-deal”
Effects of Brexit on reimbursement decisions concerning medicinal products in Poland
The President of the Office for the Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products (URPL) estimates that approximately 20% of all the 10,000 medicinal products registered in Poland will be affected by the effects of Brexit. Out of this number, according to media reports, new reimbursement decisions will need to be issued for
No-deal Brexit: the future of consumer rights in the UK
Notwithstanding the fact that a draft deal has been agreed between the EU and the UK at a technical level, the developments of recent days and weeks have made it clear that significant obstacles will need to be overcome before any deal can be finalised and ratified. In light of this uncertainty, there remains a
Privacy and common standards underpin UK Government’s strategy for technology-driven healthcare
The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published a new policy paper “The future of healthcare: our vision for digital, data and technology in health and care” setting out the UK’s approach to using the best technology available in the National Health Service (NHS) and social care sector to provide better care
UK MHRA consults on no-deal Brexit legislation
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has initiated a consultation on the legislation and regulatory processes for medicines, medical devices and related clinical trials that would need to be amended in the event of a “no deal” scenario, i.e. if the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019 without the framework
No-deal Brexit: New guidance on producing and labelling food products
In the final batch of technical notices, the UK Government has provided guidance on what impact traders can expect on food labelling and packaging in the event that the UK exits the EU without a Withdrawal Agreement on 29 March 2019. Producing and labelling food Currently, EU rules, such as EU Regulation 1169/2011 or “FIC”,
No-deal Brexit: Technical notices on trading goods published
The UK Government has released a further batch of technical notices, providing guidance to businesses on the implications of an exit from the EU without a Withdrawal Agreement on 29 Mach 2019. Three of these notices will be of particular interest to businesses trading goods in other EU Member States: 1. Trading under the mutual
HMA-EMA’s work programme on availability of authorised medicines for human and veterinary use includes measures for Brexit
On 23 August 2018, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA), the network of the National Competent Authorities in the European Economic Area (EEA), published the work programme of their joint task force regarding the availability of authorised medicines for human and veterinary use. The HMA-EMA task force was created
UK Government publishes first no-deal Brexit notices for food
The Government has released its first batch of technical notices which aim to prepare UK citizens and businesses for an exit from the EU without a Withdrawal Agreement on 29 March 2019. Of most relevance to food businesses are the notices on developing genetically modified organisms (“GMOs“) and producing and processing organic foods. Under the
UK Government Publishes Guidance for Life Sciences Companies on Brexit Transition
The UK Government has published guidance for life sciences companies on the Brexit implementation period, which is intended to take effect from 30 March 2019 to the end of 2020. If the draft Withdrawal Agreement is finalised by the UK and EU, during the implementation period the UK will no longer be an EU Member
Updated EMA guidance on centrally authorised medicines raises new considerations for Brexit preparations
On 19 June 2018, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published updates to its Brexit Q&A document for human and veterinary medicines authorised via the centralised procedure and to its practical procedural guidance on making Brexit related changes to the authorisations for those products. The updated version (“Rev 03”) of the EMA Q&A document includes new
Implications of European Commission’s proposal for a Regulation to modify existing EU rules to allow manufacturers to apply for new approvals in 27 EU Member States to replace their UK type-approvals following Brexit
On 4 June 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation to modify existing EU rules to allow manufacturers of vehicles to obtain new approvals from the 27 EU Member States who will remain post-Brexit to replace their existing UK-type approvals. Although the proposed Regulation focuses specifically on vehicles it could be interpreted
UK Government Responds to Brexit Life Sciences Regulatory Recommendations
The UK Government has published a response to the recommendations set out in the Health and Social Care Committee’s Report dated 21 March 2018 on “Brexit: medicines, medical devices and substance of human origin”, which considered the regulatory arrangements needed for the safe and effective supply of medicines and medical devices post-Brexit (see our blog
UK Parliamentary Report Published on the Impact of Brexit on the Pharmaceutical Sector
The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, a parliamentary select committee, has published a report on the consequences of Brexit on the UK pharmaceutical industry. The report examines the impact of different outcomes of the UK/EU negotiations, including a “no deal” scenario, on tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers (e.g. border delays), regulatory alignment, trade opportunities, skilled
Fair’s fair: Supreme Court clarifies law on unfairness and equal treatment in judicial review
In R (oao Gallaher and others) v CMA [2018] UKSC 25, handed down last week, the Supreme Court has clarified that substantive unfairness is not an established ground of judicial review and that likewise there is no “distinct principle” of equal treatment. Case background In March 2003, the Office of Fair Trading (“OFT“) (a predecessor
UK Parliamentary Committee Publishes Life Sciences Brexit Negotiation Recommendations
The UK House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee has published the findings of its six-month long investigation into the impact of Brexit on medicines, medical devices and substances of human origin. The Committee’s report sets out recommendations for the UK Government in its negotiations with the EU on the terms of the UK’s