work areas
The Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB) evaluates and monitors the
efficacy, risks and quality of:
Human Medicinal
Products
The Medicines Evaluation Board is
responsible for authorising and monitoring safe and effective
medicinal products on the Dutch market and shares in responsibility
for authorising medicinal products throughout the European Union.
Before a medicinal product can be sold in the Netherlands, it has
to receive marketing authorisation from the MEB. The MEB evaluates
the medicinal product and decides on the conditions under which it
can be placed on the Dutch market. It also decides on the product's
legal status (whether it can be obtained without prescription or
whether it may only be dispensed on prescription).
The central question when granting marketing authorisation is
whether the advantages of using a medicinal product demonstrably
outweigh the disadvantages – the so-called clinical benefit-risk
ratio. Once a medicinal product has been approved, it is essential
to continue expanding knowledge about the medicinal product.
Pharmacovigilance is therefore a core activity.
Veterinary Medicinal
Products
The MEB's Veterinary Medicinal Products Unit
is responsible for assessing and authorising veterinary medicinal
products for both the Dutch and European markets and for monitoring
veterinary medicinal products once they have been granted marketing
authorisation. For veterinary medicinal products, the risks to
both public health and the environment are an important part of the
evaluation.
Novel foods
Before a novel food
is placed on the market, it has to be scientifically assessed to
make sure that it is safe for consumers. Novel foods are assessed
by the MEB's Novel Foods Unit.