The research team, led by Dr Katrina Perehudoff, found that EU policy makers were adopting measures that were influencing access to medicines in developing countries while not always intending these global ‘side effects’.

These findings are particularly relevant in the current moment, since the EU has a vested interest in helping the world to access medicines and, especially, vaccines. Furthermore, a reliable and affordable global supply of medicines and vaccines is critical for the EU’s own health systems and security, and its political and economic stability, as the Covid-19 pandemic has shown. In addition, because of international treaties they have signed, European countries also have a legal duty to assist other countries in gaining access to essential medicines.

Effects far beyond our borders

The authors found that there at least three pathways through which the EU exerts global influence on pharmaceuticals in low- and middle-income countries: explicit agreements between the two sides; the reliance of the low- and middle-income countries on EU internal regulation and standards (for example, the EU’s market approval of medicines); and ‘soft’ forms of EU influence, such as EU research funding for drug development.

Disease eradication and poverty alleviation

The authors suggest that a more complete understanding of the external impacts of EU action towards pharmaceuticals could lead to a more resilient global medicines supply chain, sustained disease eradication, poverty alleviation and sustainable development, as well as better pandemic preparedness.

'The recent large-scale procurement of Covid-19 vaccines by the EU is a good example of how the bloc’s internal policy can affect the world’s medicines supply,' said Dr. Katrina Perehudoff.