Associate Professor Everaldo Attard chaired the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) Strategic Review and Learning Meeting in Malta between the 26 and 28 April 2017 at the EU Member States level.

The Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) meets at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) every two months, in which all experts of the National Competent Authorities (NCAs) participate. The HMPC was established in 2004 in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 and Directive 2004/24/EC, which introduced a simplified registration procedure for traditional herbal medicinal products in EU Member States. The main task of the Committee is to establish EU Herbal Monographs for the main herbal substances on the EU market. Also, the Committee can draft so-called List Entries, which are established by the European Commission. The HMPC’s activities aim at facilitating the harmonisation of procedures and provisions concerning herbal medicinal products laid down in EU Member States, and further integrating herbal medicinal products in the European regulatory framework.

The committee has one member and one alternate member nominated by each of the 28 EU Member States and by Iceland and Norway. The members are experts from the Member States in the field of herbal medicines. Additionally, five co-opted members are nominated by the Member States with specific expertise.

The HMPC Strategic Review and Learning Meeting is held every six months. This meeting is hosted by the country bearing the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and chaired by the delegate of the Member State holding the Presidency. During this meeting, topics related to the strategic plan of the Committee and current topics related to herbal medicine are discussed.

Prof. Attard has been representing Malta at the HMPC since 2007, when he was nominated as the Maltese national contact point for herbal medicinal products.