The European Parliament is pushing for a “strong legislative framework” that increases transparency of the entire drug supply chain, based on a resolution passed by MEPs last week (671-15, with 10 abstentions).

 MEPs called for the Commission to set up a secure, centralized database that stores the results of environmental risk assessments of products. The call reflects a belief that transparency is needed given the impact pharmaceuticals can have on “water, environmental behaviour, degradability and possible cocktail effects.”

 MEPs want to create a legal basis for more transparency, arguing that a strong legislative framework is required to “allow proper scrutiny and ensure that companies are held to account for the environmental release of pharmaceuticals.” The text also calls for the pharmaceutical industry to be more transparent, specifically by disclosing the origin of drugs and APIs “at raw material production stage.”

 The text could lead to changes in how medicines are approved. MEPs want the environmental impact of human medicines to be factored into benefit/risk assessments. However, it is unclear what effects the change would have given the MEPs are also opposed to changes that delay approvals or lead to drugs being rejected solely on environmental grounds.

 The adopted resolution will now go to the Commission and European Council....[EU]