Emea and the new pharmaceutical procedures for Europe

The regulation of medicines throughout Europe has undergone significant change since the first pharmaceutical Directive in 1965. 1995 will bring the next major stage in this evolution with the introduction of the so-called Future System proposals. These will see the creation of the EMEA (the European Medicines Evaluation Agency), the introduction of a Centralized Procedure, applicable to a small number of innovative drugs, and a Decentralized Procedure, based on mutual recognition of licences granted by existing control authorities in other EC countries. The regulation of medicines in the United Kingdom has also changed considerably since the establishment of the Medicines Control Agency in 1989. This article looks at the new licensing arrangements for Europe and the development of medicines control in the UK over the last few years.