EMA says delivering 4th-qtr work program will be challenging as it readies for Brexit

At its October 3, 2019 meeting in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the European Medicines Agency's Management Board was updated on the Agency’s ongoing preparations for the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. Interim arrangements allowing staff to telework from London have now largely come to an end. The total available workforce is roughly 730 - a further 6% reduction compared to the last update to the board in June.

Due to these ongoing resource constraints, delivery of EMA’s work program for fourth-quarter 2019 will be challenging for the Agency, particularly in view of the need to implement new legislation for veterinary medicines and medical devices, which will bring additional workload.

In order to be best prepared to address future challenges with the existing workforce, executive director Guido Rasi announced that the Agency is reviewing its organizational structure and looking to set up task forces that will focus on areas that are also key priorities for the network such as digital business transformation, data analytics and methods, regulatory science and innovation, and clinical trials and manufacturing strategy.