EDQM on Air

Des savoirs anciens à la santé publique : aux origines de la Pharmacopée Européenne et de l’EDQM

Vous êtes-vous déjà demandé comment la Pharmacopée Européenne avait vu le jour ? Et comment nous en sommes arrivé·es à un ouvrage de référence pharmaceutique unique, aujourd’hui largement utilisé dans toute l’Europe et au-delà ? Quelle est l’histoire qui nous a mené·es jusqu’ici et pourquoi est-ce important aujourd’hui ? Dans cet épisode, Pierre Leveau, Chef du Service de la Chaîne logistique de l’EDQM, et Charlotte Lenoir, Team Leader de l’équipe Gestion du cycle de vie de l’EDQM, nous invitent à remonter le temps : des premières traces des connaissances médicinales en Chine ancienne (2800 av. J.-C.) au papyrus Ebers, en Égypte – l’un des tout premiers efforts de systématisation des formules et traitements qui ont ouvert la voie aux cadres réglementaires assurant la qualité et l’innocuité des médicaments de nos jours –, en passant par les tablettes sumériennes de Mésopotamie – qui témoignent des premières tentatives de classification et de standardisation des remèdes. Tout au long de la discussion, vous apprendrez pourquoi la médecine est passée de la tradition orale à la forme écrite : pour permettre une diffusion plus vaste des connaissances, prévenir la falsification et assurer la sécurité des patientes et patients. Vous découvrirez aussi ce qui a motivé les pays à élaborer des textes officiels – y compris des règles de contrôle des médicaments – que les apothicaires devaient respecter. Enfin, au fil des évolutions politiques et des déplacements de frontières, le besoin d’échanger des médicaments en période de crise a transformé la vision de normes communes en une action collective concrète et a ainsi posé les fondations d’un ouvrage de référence unique, qui contribue directement à la sécurité de millions de personnes en Europe et au-delà : la Pharmacopée Européenne. Retrouvez Sarah-Taïssir Bencharif, médecin, journaliste de santé et hôte du podcast #EDQMOnAir [https://www.coe.int/fr/web/portal/edqm-on-air-podcast], pour explorer les grandes étapes de cette évolution fascinante. Have you ever wondered how the European Pharmacopoeia came into being? How did we arrive at a single pharmaceutical reference work now used so widely across Europe and beyond? What is the story that led us here? In this episode, Pierre Leveau, Head of the EDQM Supply Chain Department, and Charlotte Lenoir, the EDQM’s Information Lifecycle Management Team Leader, take us on a journey through time: from accounts of medicinal knowledge in ancient China (2800 BCE), through Sumerian tablets in Mesopotamia showing early attempts to classify and standardise remedies, to Egypt’s Ebers Papyrus, one of the first efforts to systematise formulas and treatments. Along the way, we learn why medicine moved from oral traditions to the written word – to disseminate knowledge more widely, prevent falsification and ensure patient safety – and what motivated countries to develop official texts – including rules for testing medicines – that apothecaries were required to follow. Finally, as politics evolved and borders shifted, the need to exchange medicines in times of crisis transformed the vision of “common standards” into concrete collective action, laying the foundations for what we know today as the European Pharmacopoeia. Join Sarah-Taïssir Bencharif, physician, health reporter and the host of #EDQMOnAir [https://www.coe.int/fr/web/portal/edqm-on-air-podcast], as she explores the milestones that shaped this remarkable journey. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy [https://ausha.co/privacy-policy] for more information.

A win for animals – Phasing out the rabbit pyrogen test

The EDQM is committed to improving animal welfare in the context of scientific experiments and testing. The rabbit pyrogen test (RPT), a standard safety test designed to determine the presence of certain fever-inducing contaminants called pyrogens in medicines, was added to the European Pharmacopoeia in the 1970s. Today, it is estimated that some 400 000 rabbits are used worldwide each year to perform this test. Viable alternatives exist, however, and the EDQM has been at the forefront of efforts to promote their use. In June 2024, the RPT was definitively removed from the European Pharmacopoeia texts. How was this accomplished? Gwenaël Cirefice and Emmanuelle Charton from the European Pharmacopoeia Department explain how the EDQM’s commitment to animal welfare in Europe and beyond led to such an important milestone being achieved. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy [https://ausha.co/privacy-policy] for more information.

The OMCL Network – A story of collaboration for safe and good quality medicines

We take it for granted that the medicines we take are safe and of good quality, but few know exactly how the EDQM contributes to making this a reality. For the past 30 years, the European Network of Official Medicines Control Laboratories (OMCLs) has conducted independent quality control testing of medicinal products for human and veterinary use throughout, covering their entire life cycle. That means not only strict testing before they reach the market, but also market surveillance once they are on the market to detect any risk of defective or falsified medicines. In this episode, Michael Wierer, who has been working to build the OMCL Network since its inception, will present this tireless effort to ensure that patients in Europe have access to safe, good quality medicinal products. We’ll explore its history and achievements and investigate why it matters so much for public health. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy [https://ausha.co/privacy-policy] for more information.

Biologicals in the European Pharmacopoeia – From vaccines to cutting-edge innovations

Biological medicinal products – or biologicals – are a class of pharmaceutical products derived or refined from biological sources including micro-organisms, animal tissue and even human cells. These extremely powerful and versatile medicines are at the cutting-edge of pharmaceutical science and have contributed to major breakthroughs in the treatment of smallpox, diabetes and haemophilia, as well as to promising innovations such as CRISPR-Cas9 technology and CAR T-cell therapies, making us stronger in the fight against disease. But how did we get to this point? What were the first biologicals, and how have they evolved over time? What safety concerns arise from their use? In this episode, Emmanuelle Charton from the EDQM’s European Pharmacopoeia Department walks us through the history of biologicals, from the first vaccines to the latest Nobel Prize-winning innovations. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy [https://ausha.co/privacy-policy] for more information.

AI in public health – Innovations, ethics and the road ahead, with Eric Sutherland

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a source of great hope in healthcare. Properly applied, it has the potential to analyse images and data faster and more accurately than human beings. Its ability to perform administrative tasks can also free up medical professionals to dedicate more time to their patients. But AI comes with certain risks. What data is being used? Can AI respect privacy when handling personal health data? Can we really entrust our health to machines? The EDQM’s 60th anniversary conference [https://www.edqm.eu/en/11-12-june-2024-celebrating-60-years-of-excellence-in-public-health-protection], held on 11-12 June 2024, featured talks and discussions on a wide range health topics, including from Eric Sutherland, Senior Health Economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In this episode, Eric shares his insights into the developing field of AI in healthcare, addressing topics such as digital health, policy guidance and responsible analytics. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy [https://ausha.co/privacy-policy] for more information.