Commission launched new pilot to strengthen medical countermeasure manufacturing and health preparedness

From the official press release: 

"The European Commission is taking a first step in rolling out the Rapid Agile Manufacturing Partnership for Union Protection (RAMP UP), a new preparedness initiative that will accelerate the scale-up of medical countermeasure production across the EU. This includes vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostic tests, personal protective equipment and other medical devices.

The initial pilot phase starting this week will engage pharmaceutical companies to test the RAMP UP approach and establish processes to enhance visibility of manufacturing capacities information relevant for future health emergencies. RAMP UP data-sharing arrangements will be developed in close cooperation with relevant EU partners, including the European Medicines Agency and the Executive Steering Group on Shortages and Safety of Medicinal Products (MSSG), to ensure they are secure, proportionate and avoid duplication of data sharing and unnecessary administrative burden.

The Commission invites relevant partners to apply and take part in shaping the practical arrangements of the initiative, including supply chain information sharing practices and operational workflows. More information is available online."