Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products

Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products

The Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP), headquartered in London, was created in 2000 within the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and is responsible for reviewing applications from people or companies seeking 'orphan medicinal product designation'.

Activities and role

The COMP is also responsible for advising the European Commission on the establishment and development of a policy on orphan medicinal products in the EU, and assists the Commission in drawing up detailed guidelines and liaising internationally on matters relating to orphan medicinal products.

The COMP is composed of:

• a chair, elected by serving COMP members;
• one member nominated by each of the 28 EU Member States;
• three members nominated by the European Commission to represent patients' organisations;
• three members nominated by the European Commission on the EMA's recommendation;
• one member nominated by each of the EEA-EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway);
• one European Commission representative;
•  observers.

See COMP members for the list of current members.

EURORDIS representation at COMP:

In addition to voting members, a number of Observers attend COMP meetings, including two EURORDIS representatives. Pauline Evers (Patients Network for Medical Research and Health, EGAN), Lesley Greene (COMP Vice-chair), Mario Ricciardi (Cystic Fibrosis Europe), Julián Isla (observer) and Virginie Hivert (observer), are the EURORDIS representatives currently present at the COMP.

Bruno Sepodes, Chair	Lesley Greene, Vice-chair	Pauline Evers	Mario Ricciardi	Virginie Hivert	Julián Isla

Photos & graphics: © EMA