Update on European Partnership on Personalised Medicine

2 November 2020 – In preparation of the European Commission’s member states consultation for the co-funded European Partnership for Personalised Medicine, taking place most probably at the end of 2020 or beginning of 2021, ICPerMed together with ERA PerMed developed a supporting document in form of a concept paper that was officially passed on to the European Commission on October 13, 2020.

Already in December 2019, ICPerMed published together with ERA PerMed a statement concerning the new European Partnerships to be developed within Horizon Europe, the next EU research and innovation framework programme, and in particular the potential European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (see also ICPerMed special newsletter from July 2020). Thereafter, ICPerMed and ERA PerMed joined forces and formed together with representatives of the European Commission a preparatory group to develop the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine – EP PerMed concept paper.

The concept paper outlines how the EP PerMed could be a prime driver for developing and implementing Personalised Medicine by establishing priorities for research funding, aligning Personalised Medicine strategies, developing educational and literacy strategies, and supporting policy development.

ICPerMed and ERA PerMed discussed the concept paper and needed steps towards the EP PerMed in a Joint Sustainability Workshop on 10-11 September 2020.

Taking together ICPerMed and ERA PerMed, more than 54 funding organisations and ministries from 34 countries (24 out of 27 EU member states, 6 associated countries and 4 third countries) are supporting the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine.

“The EP PerMed aims to foster advancements in Personalised Medicine by joint research funding efforts, creating a dialogue platform for all relevant stakeholders and providing a forum for promoting novel evidence to decision makers regarding current challenges and possible solutions in the implementation of Personalised Medicine. The EP PerMed will add value by bridging the gap between Personalised Medicine research and its implementation in healthcare systems, by bringing together all the stakeholders involved in this field in the partnership.” (EP PerMed concept paper)