Patients in smaller EU Member States still face serious delays and barriers in accessing innovative treatments, warned ECR MEP Aurelijus Veryga at a public event in the European Parliament.

Drawing on his experience as a former Lithuanian health minister, Veryga highlighted structural inequalities that persist despite scientific progress and coordination at EU level.

“Smaller countries often lack the bargaining power and capacity to bring new medicines to patients quickly - especially in the case of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and rare diseases. We need to fix a system where access to life-saving treatments depends more on where you live than on your medical need”, said Veryga.

Mr Veryga’s event “Innovative Medicines - Not for Small Member States?” brought together patients, healthcare professionals, regulators, industry representatives and policy makers. The discussion confirmed a broad consensus that while innovation in medicine continues, access remains unequal.

To address this, Veryga suggested expanding joint procurement: “We saw it work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The same approach can be applied to expensive treatments for rare diseases,” he said. “The new Health Technology Assessment Regulation must lead to automatic follow-up and timely reimbursement decisions across the EU.”

He also called for cross-border accessibility: “A medicine authorised and reimbursed in one member state should not be out of reach for patients in another.”

“These are pragmatic steps,” he added. “The science is there. The regulatory tools are there. What’s missing is the political will to ensure fair and timely access for all Europeans.”

Watch the full event here: Facebook video link