Bringing together European Forces in Personalised Medicine Diagnostics
FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS
26 October 2009
Q: What does EPEMED mean?
A: European PErsonalised Medicine Diagnostics
Q: What does Personalised Medicine mean?
A: Personalised Medicine is the use of a person’s clinical, genetic, genomic and environmental information to more precisely and accurately select a medication and its dose for each individual patient. Personalised Medicine will both improve care and lower costs.
Q: When was EPEMED formed?
A: EPEMED was formed in August 2009
Q: What is EPEMED’s structure?
A: EPEMED is as a non for profit organization under French Law
Q: What members EPEMED is looking for?
A: EPEMED will count diverse membership from the diagnostic, pharmaceutical, device, academic communities as well as patient groups and professional service firms.
Q: Why EPEMED?
A: It is now time for European players in the field of personalised medicine and high-value diagnostics to join forces to shape the environment and accelerate access of their innovations in Europe. The next few years will see deep changes in medical care due to the development of break-through innovations in the field of molecular diagnostics that will help clinicians in better treating their patients. It is our responsibility to make sure that these innovations will be made available to European patients and as a result, to make Europe an attractive place for innovations, financial and industrial investments in the area of personalised medicine diagnostics.
Q: What are the main goals of EPEMED?
A: EPEMED will provide a platform for harmonisation in the development and implementation of value-based diagnostics across Europe, to make personalised medicine a reality. A special focus will be made on pricing and reimbursement.
The main goals are:
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Move forward the field of personalised medicine across Europe through targeted education and sharing of ideas and business models
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Provide opinion leadership on policies related to personalised medicine in Europe
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Promote harmonization in the approach to personalised medicine at the European level
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Create joint programs with other international personalised medicine organisations
Q: What will be the first missions of EPEMED?
A: EPEMED will focus initially on education on the importance and benefits of personalised medicine diagnostics across Europe to the public, governments and private sectors. As such, EPEMED’s first mission is to foster the adoption of high value, high quality standard advanced diagnostics in support of Personalized Medicine in Europe and to drive value pricing and value reimbursement with a clear regulatory path in Europe for novel diagnostics and/or companion therapeutics.
Q: How do I contact EPEMED?
A: You can use either contact@epemed.org or membership@epemed.org
Q: How can I become a member of EPEMED?
A: Please have a look at the web site www.epemed.org, then go to membership page, then contact membership@epemed.org
Q: What is EPEMED’s membership fees structure?
A: The 2010 fees structure is the following:
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Academic medical center, research institution, science park €500
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Private company <50 FTE €1,500
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Strategic partner (law, consulting firm, venture capital firm) €3,000
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Small public-listed company and private company >50 FTE €4,000
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Industry, large public-listed company €8,000
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Patient advocacy group / Other coalitions / organizational partnership : please contact us
Q: Is EPEMED going to organize a meeting soon?
A: The board of directors is preparing the action plan for 2010. Several meetings and education programs will take place early next year. More information will follow through regular updates on www.epemed.org
Q: Who is managing EPEMED?
A: EPEMED is managed by a board of directors.
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Alain Huriez, M.D., Chairman, CEO TcLand Expression
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Mara Aspinall, President & CEO, On-Q-ity, ex. president, Genzyme Genetics
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Vincent Fert, President & CEO Ipsogen
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Werner Kroll, Ph.D., Head Diagnostics Research and Innovation Novartis Molecular Diagnostics
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Iain D. Miller, Ph.D., Senior Director, Oncology Strategy and Theranostics, bioMerieux
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Herman Spolders, BVBA, CEO Oncomethylome Sciences
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Patrick F. Terry, founder Genomic Health & PMC, CEO Technic Solutions
Q: What are EPEMED’s plans for the next few months/years?
A: Here is the action plan for the next few years
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Lobbying for EU directives relative to personalised medicine diagnostics
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Organise workgroups on standardisation (EU norms, techniques, clinical and regulatory, reimbursement strategies)
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Issuing statements, position papers, press releases
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Advising on EU legislative and regulatory and reimbursement processes concerning diagnostics
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Organising networking events such as conferences and workshops
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Providing information through newsletter, website and publications
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Collaboration with relevant scientific and industrial communities
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Participation and promotion of EU projects and finance/sponsor market studies
Q: Is EPEMED going to forge alliances with other organisations?
A: EPEMED will seek alliances and partnership with other organisations both in Europe and in the USA. EPEMED will establish active relationship between various coalitions or professional organisations to help advance a coordinated personalized medicine agenda within the US and Europe.