Europe’s top agency for evaluating medical products has found a new home.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will relocate to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It now has over 16 months to prepare for the move and set up operations there by March 30th, 2019 at the latest, which is the date Britain will finalize its exit from the European Union.
“Amsterdam ticks many of our boxes, said EMA Executive Director Guido Rasi, in a statement.
“It offers excellent connectivity and a building that can be shaped according to our needs. I am very grateful that the Member States took into account our requirements for business continuity and gave priority to the protection of public and animal health.”
Nineteen countries were in competition to become the EMA’s new home, according to Science. Cities produced videos and websites highlighting elements like their international connections, quality of life, and international schools.
However, the final decision came down to votes cast by the ministers of the 27 countries that remain in the European Union. Each country had six votes in the first round of process. Three votes went to the city of first choice, two to the second, and one to the third. Two rounds of voting led Amsterdam and Milan to the last round, which ended in a tie.
The tie was broken when both cities’ names were placed in a bowl with Amsterdam being the final pick.
Pharmaceutical and patient groups welcomed the announcement the agency would move to Amsterdam, reported Politico. These groups had previously called for a seamless transition to ensure the drug approval process across the EU would not be affected.
Construction of the building should be completed by April 2019 with the facility expected to be custom-built for the EMA’s needs.
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
