Life Sciences

Welcome to the home of Life Sciences on Law-Now.

On this page you can access the very latest updates in all parts of the Life Sciences sector: pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostics. Updates cover M&A, financing, regulation, product liability, dispute resolution and patent protection.

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Recent Articles

  •  
    20/02/2024
    United Kingdom

    Court of Appeal confirms position on damages for breach of public procurement rules

    The much anticipated judgment in the Braceurself appeal has been handed down by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal (led by LJ Coulson) has reaffirmed the position established by the High Court that despite a breach of the public procurement rules changing the outcome of a procurement, that is not of itself automatically ‘sufficiently serious’ to justify an award of damages.Until Braceurself, it was generally assumed that a breach which changed the outcome of a procurement would be decisive on the question of sufficient seriousness. This judgment provides clarity on the relevant...
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  •  
    13/02/2024
    Hungary

    Hungary makes changes to labour law, occupational health and safety at work

    Hungary has initiated a series of legislative amendments to laws governing labour, occupation health and safety at work, some of which already entered into force on 1 January 2024. Specifically, Hungarian lawmakers passed amendments to Act I of 2012 on the Labour Code, Act IV of 1991 on the Facilitation of Employment and Unemployment Benefits, and Act XCIII of 1993 on Occupational Safety and Health and certain OSH decrees.The following article outlines the changes to labour law in Hungary brought on by these amendments.1. Amendments to Act I of 2012 on the Labour Code and Act IV of 1991 on the...
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  •  
    09/02/2024
    Ukraine

    Ukraine launches State Register of Sanctions

    On 29 January 2024, the President of Ukraine by the Decree No. 36/2024, approved the Decision of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine “On Approval of the Regulation on the State Register of Sanctions”. On 1 February 2024, the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine launched the State Register of Sanctions on its website. The Register provides free public access to up-to-date and reliable information on persons and entities subject to Ukrainian sanctions.The Register is available in Ukrainian and English, and consolidates information regarding Ukrainian sanctions...
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  •  
    07/02/2024
    South Africa

    New Draft Regulations on the Proposed Numerical Sectoral Targets

    On 1 February 2024, a second round of draft regulations on the Proposed Numerical Sectoral Targets ("February 2024 Regulations") were published for public comment in the Government Gazette. The February 2024 Regulations are currently open for comment for 90 days from the date of publication (ending on 2 May 2024).Under these regulations, the Minister of Employment and Labour ("Minister") can classify different national economic sector targets that will define which companies, that operate in South Africa, will be deemed "designated employers". The classification of a designated employer will be...
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  •  
    30/01/2024
    EU, UK

    What’s in a name? Updated EMA guideline on naming medicinal products processed through the centralised procedure comes into effect

    The updated EMA Guideline on the acceptability of names for human medicinal products processed through the centralised procedure was adopted by CHMP in December 2023 and came into effect on 1 January 2024.  The Guideline was updated following a public consultation which concluded in March 2022.Key pointsThe 7th revision of the Guideline builds on rather than overhauls the previous 2014 guidance, and provides more detail on specific scenarios that can arise during the assessment of names for new products by the Naming Review Group (“NRG”).  Key points to note include:Further...
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  •  
    26/01/2024
    England and Wales

    Commissioning Health Care Services in England: The new PSR regime

    Following a lengthy consultation process, the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (the “PSR”), were laid before Parliament on 19 October 2023. The PSR has been designed to introduce a flexible and proportionate process for deciding who should provide health care services. In the words of the Department for Health and Social Care, the aim of the PSR is to “move away from the expectation of tendering for healthcare services in all circumstances towards collaboration across the health and care system” and to “remove the bureaucracy and cost...
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