Emiel van Galen elected as chair of the Committee for Herbal Medicinal Products

4 March 2020

At its March meeting, EMA’s Committee for Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) elected Dr Emiel van Galen as its chair, for a three-year mandate.

Dr van Galen is the Head of Department for Botanicals and Novel Foods at the Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG-MEB) in Utrecht, the Netherlands. He served as vice-chair of the HMPC from January 2017 to January 2020 and has been a member of the Committee since 2004.

"HMPC has always been an important platform to harmonise the regulation of herbal medicinal products and substances in the EU,” says Dr van Galen. “The big challenge in the next few years will be the transfer of knowledge to the next generation of assessors to maintain a harmonised European view, which is essential for patients in the EU. As chair, I will strive to channel the passion and scientific expertise of HMPC members towards new initiatives to strengthen the safe use of herbal products in the EU market and to address emerging issues in quality and manufacturing as a priority”.

HMPC is the committee responsible for compiling and assessing scientific data on herbal substances, preparations and combinations, to support the harmonisation of the European market. HMPC prepares EMA’s opinions on herbal substances and preparations, along with information on recommended uses and safe conditions. Thus, national competent authorities are able to refer to one unique set of information on a herbal substance or preparation when evaluating marketing applications for herbal medicines.