Regulatory Blog

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published two important regulatory documents addressing pharmaceutical equivalence and pharmacogenomic practices. The draft Guideline on the requirements for demonstrating therapeutic equivalence for nasal products outlines the evidence needed to demonstrate equivalence between nasal medicines. The Concept paper on the guideline revision on good pharmacogenomic practice describes proposed updates to pharmacogenomic methodology, genetic

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published two complementary guidance documents explaining the new CTIS Safety Module for Annual Safety Reports (ASRs). Together, they describe the end-to-end process for ASR submission, assessment, safety issue management and finalisation. Sponsor Guidance: New Safety Module on the Annual Safety Report The Sponsor Guidance explains how sponsors will prepare, submit and manage Annual Safety Reports through the new Safety Module. Transiti

Effective pharmacovigilance is essential for protecting patients and supporting the safe and effective use of medicinal products. The Guidelines on Good Pharmacovigilance Practices (GVP) provide a framework for pharmacovigilance activities in the European Union. The latest introductory cover note announces the publication of Revision 2 of Module III on Pharmacovigilance Inspections, reflecting recent changes to the applicable European pharmacovigilance legislation. Background

Accurate and structured medicinal product information is an important part of the regulatory and pharmacovigilance framework. Chapter 3.II: XEVPRM Detailed User Guidance provides detailed instructions for marketing authorisation holders (MAHs) on the electronic submission of information on medicinal products for human use to the European Medicines Agency through the XEVMPD. What is XEVPRM? XEVPRM stands for eXtended EudraVigilance Medicinal Product Report Message. It is the m

Preparing a marketing authorisation application (MAA) requires a sufficiently complete and mature dossier before submission. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has developed the EU Submission, Timelines and Review Talk (EUSTART) to help applicants, rapporteurs, national competent authority (NCA) assessment teams, and EMA identify important issues before an application is submitted. EUSTART supports preparation for the joint pre-submission meeting (PSM), with the aim of facil

Preparing a marketing authorisation application (MAA) requires early planning, clear communication, and a sufficiently mature dossier. To strengthen this process, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has introduced a revised Guidance on the "Pre-Submission Interactions (PSI) model" as part of a voluntary pilot phase. The revised model aims to encourage earlier and more comprehensive dialogue between applicants, rapporteurs, and EMA. It focuses on improving submission readiness

As medicines move toward electronic formats, accurate and up-to-date product information is increasingly important. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued guidance, "Electronic product information (ePI) submission during centralised procedures," explaining how applicants should submit, create, update, and maintain electronic product information (ePI) for centrally authorised medicinal products. The guidance provides practical instructions for managing ePI through the

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued guidance explaining how applicants and marketing authorisation holders can use SEPA Direct Debit Business-to-Business (B2B) to pay certain EMA fees. The guidance, dated 20 August 2026, covers mandate setup, payment collection, returned transactions, withdrawals and related requirements. Single Euro Payments Area framework (SEPA) Direct Debit B2B allows EMA to collect euro-denominated payments from business debtors using a signed

Improving the availability of medicines authorised in the European Union is a key priority for the European Medicines Regulatory Network. Supply chain disruptions can affect the continuity of medicine supply, making it important for Marketing Authorisation Holders (MAHs) to identify potential risks and establish measures to reduce the likelihood of shortages. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published guidance and a template for industry on implementing Shortage Preven

Ensuring the availability and continuity of medicines across the European Union is an important priority for the European Medicines Regulatory Network. Supply chain disruptions can affect medicine availability, making it important for Marketing Authorisation Holders (MAHs) to identify potential risks and establish appropriate measures to reduce the likelihood of shortages. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published the Guidance for industry on implementing Shortage Pre

Biosimilar medicines have become an integral part of modern healthcare by expanding patient access to biological therapies while maintaining high standards of quality, safety, and efficacy. As scientific knowledge, analytical technologies, and regulatory frameworks continue to evolve, regulatory guidance must also adapt to reflect these advancements. The Concept Paper on Revision of the Guideline on Similar Biological Medicinal Products sets out the European Medicines Agency'

Innovation is transforming medicinal product development through the introduction of novel methodologies such as biomarkers, digital health technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), modelling and simulation, real-world data, patient registries, and advanced non-clinical testing methods. These approaches have the potential to improve evidence generation, streamline drug development, and support more informed regulatory decision-making. However, before they can be widely adop

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming an integral part of pharmaceutical development and regulatory operations. From drug discovery and clinical trials to manufacturing and pharmacovigilance, AI is transforming how medicines are developed, assessed, and monitored. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) published its 2025 AI Observatory Report to provide an overview of AI-related activities across the European Medicines Regulatory Network (EMRN). The report highlights

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued Revision 4 of the "Explanatory Note to Good Pharmacovigilance Practices (GVP) Module VII – Periodic Safety Update Report" prepared by the Human Medicines Evaluation Division. This revision addresses practical challenges encountered during the PSUR Single Assessment (PSUSA) process, particularly for nationally authorised medicinal products (NAPs), and serves as the basis for the forthcoming update of GVP Module VII. Purpose of the

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) continues to advance data standardisation and digital transformation in regulatory processes through the implementation of ISO IDMP standards and Product Management Services (PMS). The guidance Process for the electronic submission of medicinal product information – Chapter 3 (Version 3.5, updated 20 April 2026) provides detailed instructions on how medicinal product data should be submitted, managed, and maintained electronically throughou

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) continues to strengthen transparency, data sharing, and international regulatory collaboration through its Clinical Data Publication (CDP) framework. A key development in this area is the introduction of a work-share initiative with Health Canada (HC) under Policy 0070, aimed at improving efficiency while maintaining robust safeguards for sensitive information. The guidance Clinical Data Publication (CDP): Questions and Answers on EMA Polic

The Guidance on the electronic submission of information on investigational medicinal products for human use in the Extended EudraVigilance medicinal product dictionary (XEVMPD) was updated on 13 April 2026 (Version 1.5) , providing detailed procedural and technical instructions for sponsors submitting clinical trial product data. Introduction This guidance provides consolidated instructions for sponsors on how to electronically submit information on investigational medici

The European regulatory landscape continues to evolve with a strong focus on supporting innovation in rare diseases and ensuring safe, evidence-based development of medicines for children . The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued two key procedural guidelines: Procedural advice for orphan medicinal product designation – Guidance for sponsors Procedural advice on paediatric applications – Guidance for applicants together, establish a comprehensive regulatory framewo

The European regulatory framework continues to strengthen data protection and transparency in its international collaborations, particularly when engaging with EU candidate countries. As part of this effort, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has established clear guidelines on how personal data is processed within cooperation programmes. The guidance European Medicines Agency’s Data Protection Notice for the implementation of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (I

The guidance Guide to manufacturers and notified bodies on the procedure for requesting advice from expert panels for orphan medical devices was published on 31 March 2026 , outlining the procedural framework and expectations for applicants seeking scientific and regulatory advice. Orphan medical devices are those intended for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of rare conditions, where limited patient populations create challenges in generating extensive clinical evi