Future calls for collaboration

Artificial intelligence, machine learning and vast amounts of data provide new opportunities for pharmaceutical research and development, pharmacovigilance and the assessment of pharmacotherapies.  Targeted medicine and digital self-care can revolutionise the current practices, much the same way as antibiotics and imaging methods once did. New practices help to better identify the needs of people and make diagnostics, assisted self-service and self-care more efficient. On the other hand, this will increase the level of challenge in the implementation, management and monitoring of pharmacotherapy.

The future reviews of the Ministries were published 4 June 2018. The review of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health emphasises that to to meet these changes, the next government needs to find cross-administrative solutions to reform social security, implement the social and health care reform and to promote well-being, health and employment. Together these solutions promote equality, equity as well as functional and working capacity and protect livelihoods during the different phases of life.

In the future, we need more cross-sectoral cooperation and partnerships. Through cooperation, processes become more efficient, clinical skills develop, customer and patient security improves and new treatment innovations are introduced.

Drug regulatory authorities have a crucial role as enablers and controllers. An example of this is the new regulation on veterinary medicinal products that will streamline the authorities' processes regarding veterinary medicinal products. As the British Medicines Agency will withdraw from the European medicines regulatory network in connection with Brexit, the other agencies, such as Fimea, are presented with both challenges and opportunities to increase their influence at the EU level. It is important to ensure drug and medication safety and availability of drugs, to maintain the high quality of authority functions and to implement the changes in a controlled, sustainable and equal manner.

An innovation ecosystem is a network that includes operators in research, development and innovation. In Finland, new, fascinating initiatives are in the horizon when the work of the centres of excellence initiated by the current government, such as the cancer centre, neuro centre, genome centre and pharmaceutical development centre, will start to bear fruit. Fimea is involved in the innovation ecosystem, providing national and international scientific advice and helping to implement the international process for the new Clinical Trial Regulation.

Fimea helps to ensure that the effectiveness, safety, availability and sensible use of medicines is world-class in Finland.

Fimea's future video

Ministries' future reviews (in Finnish)