EMA Appoints Carmen Purdel as New Chair of Committee for Herbal Medicinal Products

EMA Appoints Carmen Purdel as New Chair of Committee for Herbal Medicinal Products

(IN BRIEF) EMA has appointed Carmen Purdel as the new Chair of the Committee for Herbal Medicinal Products, with a three-year mandate starting on 2 March 2026. A long-standing member of the committee since 2011, Purdel brings regulatory and academic expertise from her roles in Romania’s medicines agency and at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest. She succeeds Emiel van Galen after the completion of his maximum term and will guide the committee’s work in harmonising the assessment and regulation of herbal medicinal products across the European Union.

(PRESS RELEASE) AMSTERDAM, 21-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has announced the appointment of Carmen Purdel as the new Chair of its Committee for Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). The decision was taken at the committee’s January meeting, with Purdel’s three-year mandate set to begin on 2 March 2026.

Carmen Purdel is currently a quality assessor at Romania’s National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices and serves as an associate professor in the Department of Toxicology at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest. She brings extensive regulatory and academic experience to the role, having been actively involved in the work of the HMPC for more than a decade.

Purdel first joined the committee in 2011 as an alternate member before later becoming a full member. She succeeds Emiel van Galen of the Medicines Evaluation Board in the Netherlands, who steps down after completing the maximum of two consecutive three-year terms as chair.

In her new role, Purdel will oversee the committee’s work in assessing scientific evidence related to herbal substances, preparations, and combinations. A particular area of focus during her mandate will be the structured use of real-world data, which is increasingly seen as a valuable tool in supporting the scientific evaluation of traditional herbal medicinal products.

The Committee for Herbal Medicinal Products plays a central role in harmonising the regulation of herbal medicines across the European Union. Through the preparation of scientific opinions and recommendations, the HMPC supports national authorities by providing a common reference framework for evaluating marketing applications and ensuring consistent standards for safety, quality, and use.

Under Purdel’s leadership, the committee is expected to continue strengthening collaboration within the European regulatory network while promoting clear and transparent communication on traditional herbal medicines to support their safe and informed use across the EU market.

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SOURCE: European Medicines Agency