The Government proposes establishing a new national Medicines Agency
The Government has decided on the content of the government bill regarding the Agency on 13 May. The President of the Republic submitted the bill to Parliament on Friday 15 May. According to it, the Finnish Medicines Agency will start work on 1 November 2009 in Kuopio.
The main duties of the Finnish Medicines Agency that is to be established are proposed authorisation and supervision tasks in the pharmaceuticals field, research and development, and production and dissemination of information on medicinal products with a view to improve the effectiveness of pharmaceutical service and pharmacotherapy.
The tasks of the new Agency include the present tasks of the National Agency for Medicines associated with medicinal products. The National Agency for Medicines has actively contributed to the supervision of medicinal products within the EU. The Government bill wants to stress and expand the EU level and international cooperation of the new Agency.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the National Agency for Medicines have prepared a plan to ensure the optimal functioning of operations during the transition. The regionalisation will be carried out during a transition period of five years. The most important tasks of the present National Agency for Medicines, EU level and other international commitments included, will be prioritised. The Agency has also undertaken measures to retain skills and expertise. Electronic official communication and automated case management are being developed, processing of marketing authorisations included.
Read more:
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health www.stm.fi/en/
Press release 183/2009 13.05.2009 The Government proposes establishing a new national Medicines Agency
For further information contact:
Marja-Liisa Partanen, Director General, National Agency for Medicines, tel. +358 9 4733 4200
Vesa Jormanainen, Project Manager, tel. +358 50 430 1732
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health:
Päivi Sillanaukee, Director-General, tel. +358 9 160 73313
Anne Koskela, Ministerial Counsellor, Legal Affairs, tel. +358 9 160 74340, +358 50 5011908
Ulla Närhi, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 9 160 74 146