EU health chief calls for bloc-wide drug procurement

European Medicines Agency (EMA) Executive Director Emer Cooke has called for the European Union to expand its authority to ensure access to newly approved drugs. Speaking on Wednesday, she advocated for a broader remit that would include collective procurement negotiations on behalf of multiple member states. This push for centralized pharmaceutical policy reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen the EU's health sovereignty and bargaining power against global drug manufacturers. The proposal aims to address disparities in drug availability and pricing across the bloc.