On 12 February 2025, Zentiva participated in the 2nd Critical Medicines Alliance Forum in Brussels, which gathered over 300 participants of key stakeholders to discuss recommendations for the upcoming Critical Medicines Act, scheduled to be announced in March 2025.

A key highlight of the Forum was the presentation of the Critical Medicines Alliance draft Strategic Report, a comprehensive overview outlining strategic recommendations aimed at bolstering the production of critical medicines within the European Union (EU) and forging strategic partnerships beyond its borders.

Tomas Pala, Corporate Affairs Manager of Zentiva, represented the company in discussions focused on securing Europe’s access to essential medicines. Zentiva values the Alliance’s commitment to supporting EU-based production, enhancing supply chain resilience, and strengthening strategic autonomy for critical medicines.

Key topics were convened to present and discuss by invited experts: 

• Strengthening EU manufacturing capacity.
• Improving supply chain resilience.
• Strategies for stockpiling and procurement to ensure medicines are readily available during crises.

(Left to right) Jakub Dvoracek, Deputy Minister of Health of the Czech Republic and Co-Chair of WG1 of Critical Medicines Alliance;
Adrian van den Hoven, Director General, Medicines For Europe; Tomas Pala, Corporate Affairs Manager, Zentiva

“While the strategic recommendations are well-founded, there is a need for clearly defined and actionable steps for their implementation. Ensuring EU production, robust stockpiling, and procurement systems require more than strategic planning; it necessitates concrete actions to translate these strategies into tangible outcomes,” said Tomas Pala.

At Zentiva, we remain committed to working alongside industry leaders and policymakers to ensure these goals are realized. Strengthening collaboration today is key to ensuring a sustainable healthcare system in Europe for the future.

Established for five years by the European Commission in January 2024, the Critical Medicines Alliance aims to identify key areas and priorities for action, proposing solutions to strengthen the supply of critical medicines in the EU, ultimately enhancing efforts to prevent and address shortages effectively. It serves as a consultative mechanism bringing together relevant stakeholders from EU Member States, key industries, civil society, and the scientific community to ensure timely and equal access to medicines for all European patients.