German Approvals Boost From EU

The number of new human-use drugs processed by Germany's federal health office, the BGA, in 1993 rose from 219 to 357, due, it says, to the rise in marketing approvals delivered under the European Union arrangements.

The number of approvals under the new regime rose from 104 to 223, under EU directives 87/22 and 75/319. cimetidine was the active ingredient involved in the highest number of approvals, at 73.

Total drug marketing approvals of all types rose from 1,465 to 1,698. The main indication areas of most of the drugs based either on new agents or known agents were the cardiovascular system, digestive tract and metabolic processes and the respiratory system.