Health Research Policy

The Health Research Committee focuses on advocating for stronger funding for health research in the EU as well as working together towards a harmonised regulatory system which supports research and better health in Europe.

Description

Biomedical health research policy is at the heart of the BioMed Alliance’s mission. With its Health Research Committee, the Alliance monitors EU Health research policy and related policies, informs its members about developments, provides a
platform for discussions and conveys the position of members to policymakers
and stakeholders. We strive to address bottlenecks and call for more support and
coordination health research.

Chair

The Committee is chaired by Prof. Wilfried Ellmeier.

Board Representatives

The Board Representatives for the Committee is Prof. Craig Wheelock.

Examples of our work in Health Policy

BioMed Alliance calls for stronger recognition of academic clinical research in the EU Biotech Act

As discussions on the European Biotech Act continue, BioMed Alliance has published a position statement calling for stronger recognition and support for academic clinical research as a key contributor to Europe’s biotechnology ecosystem. Academic clinical research generates independent evidence, addresses unmet medical needs and advances scientific and clinical innovation, yet academic researchers continue to face regulatory and financial barriers that can hinder the translation of promising research into clinical applications.

BioMed Alliance calls for academic and non-commercial research organisations to be recognised as strategic contributors to Europe’s biotechnology ecosystem and for dedicated EU support for academic biotechnology development, including late-stage clinical research and pivotal trials. A key priority is to ensure that low-intervention clinical trials (LICTs) are supported by proportionate, risk-based requirements. Our recommendations also address the need to harmonise informed consent requirements, strengthen regulatory support for academic developers through the EU Health Biotechnology Support Network, and ensure that publicly funded biotechnology innovation delivers a public return, including through affordability and equitable patient access.

28 September 2026Read more

BioMed Alliance response to the European Commission’s consultation on the European Biotech Act proposal

The BioMed Alliance has submitted its response to the European Commission’s consultation on the European Biotech Act proposal (2025/0406/COD). We welcome the initiative as an important opportunity to strengthen Europe’s biotechnology ecosystem, enhance its global competitiveness and accelerate the translation of scientific innovation into solutions that benefit society.

Our response highlights academic clinical research as a key contributor to biomedical innovation, generating independent evidence, addressing unmet medical needs and advancing scientific and clinical questions beyond commercial priorities. We call for a Biotech Act that recognises the strategic role of academic clinical research and supports it through proportionate regulation, sustainable funding and strengthened research capacity. Our full response is available below.

24 August 2026Read more

BioMed Alliance response to the Call for Evidence on European Partnerships in Health Research

The BioMed Alliance has submitted its response to the European Commission's Call for Evidence on the future of institutionalised European Partnerships under Horizon Europe. The proposed reform is an important opportunity, in the context of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034), to strengthen how EU research and innovation investments contribute to European competitiveness and strategic priorities, including health. We welcome the European Commission's initiative to strengthen public-private partnerships in health research, recognising their vital role in bringing together industry, researchers, healthcare professionals, and patients to accelerate medical innovation and improve healthcare outcomes. However, these partnerships have become increasingly complex and difficult to navigate in practice for healthcare professionals and researchers, who both contribute to and benefit from these initiatives. This reduces accessibility and limits participation, weakening the translation of research results into clinical practice. In our response, we highlight the structural barriers to participation in institutionalised European Partnerships, such as Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), and call for clearer governance, improved accessibility, and stronger stakeholder engagement to maximise the impact of EU research and innovation in healthcare. Our full response is available below.

15 July 2026Read more

2023 Report Highlights the importance of Life Science Investments in Europe

The report, "Attracting Life Science Investments in Europe," has been published in 2023 as an initiative by BioMed Alliance, EuropaBio, and Johnson & Johnson. The report consists of an analysis of the life science sector within Europe, providing a set of indicators on the importance of life science investments. The report identifies existing gaps within the European life science ecosystem compared to the US and China and provides strategic recommendations to address these disparities. Key recommendations include:

Stronger policy efforts from the EU to establish a long-term vision and enhance Europe’s position in life sciences.
Increased and more focused public funding for research and education, both at the EU level and within individual member states, to avoid the inefficiencies caused by fragmented resources

22 May 2024Read more

New statement shares the concerns of the scientific community on a recent Citizens Initiative proposing to phase-out animal testing

The medical & scientific community represented within the BioMed Alliance has published a new statement expressing its strong concerns about the consequences of the European Citizens Initiative ‘Save cruelty free cosmetics - Commit to a Europe without animal testing’ for biomedical research. While the first two parts of the Citizens’ Initiative refer to protecting the animal testing ban for cosmetics and to transforming the chemicals regulation (the BioMed Alliance has no official position on this), the third part on modernising science could affect the European health research sector. This Citizens Initiative calls on the Commission to introduce a ‘legislative proposal plotting a roadmap to phase-out all animal testing in the EU before the end of the current legislative term’ and is currently being considered by EU policy makers. The initiative was also discussed in a hearing in the European Parliament on 25 May and the Commission is preparing a response. The proposed phase-out will have a detrimental effect on biomedical research and will significantly hinder the search for new insights into the characteristics and progress of diseases and the development of life saving treatment options for patients.

23 May 2023Read more

Workshop European initiatives for health research and development

The "European initiatives for health research and development” workshop was held at the World Health Summit in Berlin on Sunday 29th October 2019. The workshop was hosted by the BioMed Alliance, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the M8 Alliance. The report summarises the speakers’ perspectives and views on the future design of European health research and global partnerships.

10 February 2020Read more

See all News See all resources