#ItTakesATeam: EMA and EU Healthcare Partners Strengthen Cooperation to Keep Medicines Available for Patients

#ItTakesATeam: EMA and EU Healthcare Partners Strengthen Cooperation to Keep Medicines Available for Patients

(IN BRIEF) The European Medicines Agency (EMA), together with leading European healthcare professional and consumer organisations, has launched the #ItTakesATeam campaign to raise awareness of collective efforts in preventing and managing medicine shortages across the EU. The initiative, co-created with pharmacists, doctors, patient groups, and regulators, highlights the importance of trust, transparency, and cooperation in ensuring continued medicine availability. Through real-life stories, social media engagement, and a public webinar, the campaign shows how patients are supported by an entire network of professionals working to secure access to essential treatments.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 4-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Medicines Agency (EMA), in partnership with major European healthcare professional and consumer organisations, has launched a new EU-wide awareness initiative — the #ItTakesATeam campaign — to spotlight the shared responsibility and coordinated efforts behind managing and preventing medicine shortages across Europe.

When patients are unable to access a prescribed medicine, their first reaction is often anxiety and uncertainty. Yet, behind every shortage, there is a network of professionals — pharmacists searching for alternative supplies, doctors recommending other treatments, and regulators ensuring equitable distribution of medicines among EU countries. The campaign’s message is clear: no one faces these challenges alone.

Developed in collaboration with key partners including the European Consumer Organisation, the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists, the European Association of Nuclear Medicine, the European Paediatric Neurology Society, the European Community Pharmacists, and the European Union of General Practitioners, the initiative is supported by EMA’s Patients and Consumers Working Party and Healthcare Professionals Working Party. Together, they have co-created this campaign to enhance communication and transparency, marking a new phase of partnership between regulators, professionals, and patients.

“This campaign shows how deeply interlinked the healthcare system is and how effective solutions to medicine shortages rely on cooperation and trust,” said Emer Cooke, Executive Director of EMA. “For the first time, we have co-designed a communication initiative with our trusted partners — a reflection of how collaboration is vital to keeping patients’ needs at the centre.”

As Jorge Batista of the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) noted, “When patients can’t get their medicine, it’s distressing — but there’s a whole team working to find solutions, from pharmacists and doctors to regulators ensuring fair distribution.”

The #ItTakesATeam campaign brings these collaborative efforts to life through real-world stories, social media outreach, and video testimonials featuring those directly involved in tackling shortages. The initiative aims to raise public awareness about the complexity of medicine supply chains and the critical role of cooperation in maintaining continuity of care.

To further support transparency and education, EMA will host a public webinar on 4 November titled Medicine shortages: EMA public webinar putting patients first. The event will provide patients, consumers, and healthcare professionals with insights into EU regulatory processes, guidance on finding accurate information, and advice on how each group can contribute to mitigating shortages.

Medicine shortages have become an increasing challenge for health systems globally, often triggered by a combination of supply chain disruptions, manufacturing constraints, and distribution imbalances. The #ItTakesATeam campaign underscores that sustainable solutions depend on shared commitment, effective communication, and joint action across Europe’s healthcare ecosystem.

For more details, visit Fighting medicine shortages: It takes a team on EMA’s website.

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SOURCE: European Medicines Agency