International regulators stress continued need for COVID-19 therapeutics

The European Medicines Agency EMA has endorsed a statement by the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA) that urges all stakeholders, including researchers, pharmaceutical industry, healthcare professionals, health research funding agencies and research institutions, to continue their focus on developing therapeutics to treat and prevent COVID-19 in patients around the world.

“While vaccines remain the main weapon in our fight against the pandemic, we also need safe, effective and high-quality medicines to treat and prevent COVID-19, in all its manifestations and in all populations, including children and pregnant women,” says Emer Cooke, chairwoman of the ICMRA and EMA’s executive director. “ICMRA members are committed to continue efforts to streamline regulatory requirements for COVID-19 medicines to improve the accessibility and availability of COVID-19 therapeutics that complement vaccination, in particular in low- and middle-income countries,” she added.

The development of a joint statement on the importance of continued focus on COVID-19 treatments followed a series of meetings and discussions among ICMRA members on regulatory requirements to enable rapid development, approval and global roll-out of safe and efficacious medicines against COVID-19. The statement is available in English and French on the  ICMRA website.