EU lawmakers reach provisional deal on Critical Medicines Act

The European Parliament and European Union (EU) member states have reached a provisional agreement on the Critical Medicines Act (CMA), a major legislative initiative designed to strengthen medicine supply chains and reduce dependence on overseas manufacturing.

The agreement, reached between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU under the Cyprus presidency, is intended to address recurring shortages of critical medicines including antibiotics, insulin and painkillers. The legislation forms part of a broader EU strategy to improve pharmaceutical resilience following supply disruptions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent geopolitical tensions.