Critical Medicines Alliance
The Critical Medicines Alliance (CMA), established in January 2024, serves as a consultative mechanism that brings together relevant stakeholders from EU Member States, key industries, civil society, and the scientific community. The Alliance’s primary mission is to identify key areas and priorities for action, proposing solutions to strengthen the supply of critical medicines in the EU. This initiative aims to enhance efforts to prevent and address shortages effectively, aligning with the broader goals of the European Health Union to ensure timely and equal access to medicines for all European patients.
What aims and scope
The Critical Medicines Alliance (CMA) is an initiative launched to serve as an inclusive and transparent consultative platform for the European Commission and other EU decision-makers. Its central mission is to identify and address structural vulnerabilities in the supply chains of medicines deemed critical to public health, based on the European Commission’s supply chain vulnerability assessment and the Union list of critical medicines published by the EMA in December 2023.
The Alliance pools expertise from across Member States, industry, healthcare providers, academia, and civil society to propose priority actions and strategic tools to reinforce Europe’s supply resilience. These include encouraging diversification of sources and boosting EU-based manufacturing of both medicines and their active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Structured around a Steering Board and two thematic Working Groups, the Alliance has developed a Strategic Report. This report will guide long-term action to mitigate risks, support industrial competitiveness, and enhance Europe’s open strategic autonomy—ensuring sustainable access to critical medicines for all EU citizens.
EHMA’s Involvement and Recommendations
The European Health Management Association (EHMA) plays an active role within the Critical Medicines Alliance by promoting the digital transformation of hospital medication management systems. As a member since the Alliance’s launch in 2024, EHMA supports EU efforts to strengthen health system resilience through innovation and evidence-based policy. EHMA has contributed to the Strategic Report and engaged directly with HERA to advocate for real-time stock visibility and 90% digitalisation of EU hospitals by 2026, supported by EU4Health. By sharing best practices and driving collaboration, EHMA ensures that health management excellence remains central to the Alliance’s long-term strategic objectives.
Read EHMA’s position paper on hospitals’ medication management pathways.
What our Members say
I have been active in EHMA since the first years of the '90s and I have seen its evolution from a small association of members interested in sharing knowledge on health management practices to the current status of reference and advisory key player for EU, health systems and organisations, stakeholders associations, industry and universities. EHMA is now a unique knowledge hub, policy advisor, community of practice and network of best in class organisations involved in health policy and management. A place where health managers can build their competences, policy-makers and stakeholder associations envision how to implement and sustain change through health management, industry leaders understand how to engage more effectively with health organisations and systems. The right place to nurture and grow health management capabilities and capacity for every stakeholder of health systems.
Prof. Federico Lega, University of Milan, Italy
Health management has a crucial function in shaping public health and health system challenges. The Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria had success in collaborating with EHMA on EU-funded projects that has resourced us to create new health management competencies for the future workforce. In addition to all classical definitions, health management is a science dealing with individuals, groups, and society at large. It is an art contributing to the beauty of our lives and an interactive communication process at all levels of institutions and human energy. I have also had the pleasure to chair the South Eastern European Special Interest Group which gives members a space to discuss and tools to address how health systems are managed in our regions.
Prof. Todorka Kostadinova, Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria
I enjoy the high level of interaction and engagement in EHMA’s activities, in particular during the annual conference where the panel discussions are rich and well prepared. As a hospital manager and professor of health management, EHMA motivates and inspires me to be creative. You go back home feeling energised from seeing old friends and making new connections, as well as being convinced of serving as EHMA’s ambassador. It’s a strong feeling of interdisciplinary engagement, but it also feels like being part of family-like community.
Prof. Sandra C. Buttigieg, University of Malta, Malta
EHMA is a pre-eminent organisation for everyone working in planning, managing and delivering health services across Europe. As a long standing member of EHMA I have always been impressed by the vibrant community of managers, researchers and academics it has created and by the many opportunities for sharing knowledge and funding opportunities it has brought to its members. Its international scope is impressive and its impact is often felt in management and research across European and national health systems.
Prof. Axel Kaehne, Edge Hill University, UK
Health workforce has become more essential in operating, managing and maintaining health systems lately, particularly in crisis and emergency situations. European healthcare professions and the workforce need to be high on the agenda of managers and decision makers. The Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University in Hungary is a longstanding EHMA member, because it connects us with collaborators and experts, with whom we can have complex debates, from whom we can learn and at the end find solutions in various challenging fields of healthcare management.
Dr Eszter Kovács, Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University, Hungary
As a hospital administrator and health management professor, I see on a daily basis that the healthcare challenges require talented and skilled managers to transform it. the EHMA membership has been beneficial to bring healthcare management research and education to the demanding healthcare services world, promoting healthcare management competencies and knowledge creation.
Dr Alexandre Lourenco, APAH - Association of Portuguese Hospital Managers, Portugal
Many healthcare systems in Europe and beyond are facing similar challenges which require innovative and creative solutions. EHMA’s annual conference, webinars, Programme Directors’ group and other activities and resources provide incredible opportunities for networking, connecting and sharing experiences. A distinct feature of EHMA is the diversity of members with representation from many countries, sectors and different communities of practice – academic, policy-makers, practitioners, managers, leaders and students. The annual conference is a highlight in the calendar year, offering a friendly, fun and learningful environment for emerging and established members to engage, collaborate and meet up with old and new friends. I am proud to be a member of the EHMA Board.
Prof. Ann Mahon, University of Manchester, UK
Society evolution, pandemics and ageing modify health needs. So, health policies and services are to change dramatically. EHMA, through webinars, workshops and annual conference provides an excellent insight to a professional changing world, favouring closeness to management innovation and the protagonists of these changes. As a primary care services’ manager, participating in EHMA activities is really worth it and allows to involve oneself in the innovation processes.
Dr Antoni Peris Grao, Consorci Castelldefels Agents de Salut (CASAP), Spain