Switzerland As the spotlight turns towards optimising supply and delivery chains in pharma logistics, Swiss Post has distinguished itself as one of the early movers in trialling autonomous drone logistics for commercial purposes. In March 2017, the company and its partner, Matternet, received clearance from the Swiss aviation authority to fly…

Switzerland With two billion people globally – predominantly in low and middle-income countries – having little or no access to medicine, a select group of service providers have emerged to try and further dialogue between pharmaceutical companies, regulators, healthcare professionals and patients on the issue of expanding access to medicines. At…

UK UK pharmaceutical and biotech companies are already finding it increasingly difficult to attract talent from overseas. Additionally, UK firms are looking to poach EMA staff as it heads to Amsterdam from London following Brexit. Following the Brexit vote, the UK is already seeing problems in filling senior positions at life…

Merck Belén Garijo, global CEO of Merck Healthcare, speaking this month at the FT Global Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Conference, ‘Thriving Amid Uncertainty’, in London, underlined the significance of Merck’s new deal with NHS England for its innovative new multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, Mavenclad and how this deal stands as a new…

Bulgaria Clinical research is one of the main areas of investment from research-based pharmaceutical companies into Bulgaria and the country is positioning itself as a clinical trials hub for the entire CEE region. Furthermore, the Bulgarian government has shown great willingness towards continuing developing this area; ensuring the growth of clinical…

EMA The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the EU body responsible for the evaluation of medicinal products for use within the European Union, concluded a vote on Monday evening in Brussels following three rounds of voting. “We are delighted, it was very tight, it was nerve-wracking, to be honest” Halbe Zijlstra, Minister…

Ukraine Ukraine’s bold decision to outsource public procurement of medicines to international agencies to combat rampant corruption has been well received by the pharma MNCs operational in the country, but faces criticism from domestic players. “Healthcare procurement was widely considered as one of the areas most seriously altered by corruption” Tetiana…

Austria Like a family recipe that has been refined and perfected over countless generations, Austria has developed a reputation as the quintessential clinical trials destination; a perfect combination of world-class academia, willing volunteers and educated medical personnel balanced against a backdrop of economic stability. “Austria should be proud of the abundance…

Austria Austria has long been merely a cog in the wheel of global R&D, lying in the shadows of neighboring research giants, Germany and Switzerland. Now, however, this perception is changing as Austria capitalizes on its ideal central European location and impressively educated workforce. “From a biotech perspective, [Austria] has a…

UK Hamid Yunis, partner and head of healthcare at the London office of international law firm, McDermott Will & Emery, discusses the potential negative impact of Brexit and the UK leaving the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) on cancer care in the UK. “The UK relies on Euratom for the diagnosis…

Switzerland The southern Swiss canton of Ticino does not have the life science reputation of Basel, Zurich or Geneva, but benefits from an open business environment, strategic location, and a thriving network of pharmaceutical SMEs. “Ticino is really a perfect example of the excellence of Swiss SMEs in the pharma industry, as…

Greece Pharmaceutical logistics companies in Greece have had to work hard and innovatively to emerge from the debt crisis; focusing on leveraging international connections and maintaining quality to stay profitable. Now however, major new international investment into the port of Piraeus stands to put Greece back on the world logistics map.…