EU Agrees on Draft Plan to Tackle Medicine Shortages European Union parliamentarians and member states have provisionally agreed on measures to strengthen the supply of essential medicines. The Critical Medicines Act aims to increase domestic production and reduce reliance on imports for about 270 critical medicines. The plan targets vulnerabilities in supply chains and seeks to expand EU manufacturing capacity for crucial drugs.

• Provisional deal reached by EU parliamentarians and member states.
• Strengthens essential medicines supply by increasing domestic production.
• Reduces reliance on imports and targets supply-chain vulnerabilities.
• Covers about 270 critical medicines essential for health security.
• Measures include antibiotics, insulin, vaccines, and drugs for chronic/rare diseases.
• Aims to expand EU manufacturing capacity.
• Seeks to reduce reliance on suppliers from countries like China and India.