EMA Researchers Highlight AI Priorities for Medicines Regulation
Researchers at the European Medicines Agency have released a preprint outlining key regulatory research priorities for artificial intelligence across the full medicines lifecycle. The publication draws on a survey of 273 respondents, including academics from European institutions, and identifies accuracy and reliability of AI tools as the top concern by a substantial margin.
This work builds on EMA’s ongoing efforts in regulatory science and has direct relevance for higher education programmes across Europe. Universities and research centres are well positioned to address the identified priorities through interdisciplinary studies in data science, ethics, and pharmaceutical regulation.
Survey Findings Shape Research Agenda
The survey captured perspectives from regulators, industry professionals, patients, academics, and healthcare providers. Beyond accuracy, respondents prioritised data governance, confidentiality, consent, ethics, fairness, and bias prevention. These themes align closely with research strengths in many European universities, particularly those with established centres for regulatory science and AI ethics.
Ten priority research areas were proposed, with the leading three focusing on model robustness amid changing data and the appropriate level of explainability required for regulatory decision-making. European higher education institutions can integrate these questions into doctoral programmes and collaborative projects.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
Connections to Broader EMA Initiatives
The preprint appeared one day after EMA published its 2025 AI Observatory report, which reviews guidance, applications, and collaborations. Together, the documents underscore the agency’s commitment to evidence-based integration of AI while maintaining patient safety and data integrity standards.
Academic researchers featured prominently in the survey, highlighting the value of university contributions to regulatory science. This creates opportunities for European universities to strengthen partnerships with EMA and national competent authorities.
Implications for University Research and Training
European universities offering programmes in pharmacy, biomedical data science, and AI ethics are directly affected. Curricula can be updated to emphasise trustworthy AI, bias mitigation, and lifecycle management of AI tools in medicinal product development.
Research groups at institutions across the EU are already exploring related topics. The new priorities provide a clear framework for aligning academic output with regulatory needs, potentially increasing the impact of university-led studies on policy and practice.
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
Opportunities for Collaboration and Funding
The publication coincides with EMA’s participation in a regulatory science research meeting scheduled for the following week. Topics include methodologies for safe AI integration, opening doors for academic involvement in pilot projects and evidence generation.
European higher education networks can leverage these developments to secure funding for studies on AI robustness, explainability, and ethical frameworks. Cross-border collaborations between universities and regulatory bodies are expected to grow as a result.
Future Outlook for European Higher Education
As AI continues to transform medicines regulation, universities will play an essential role in building the next generation of experts. Programmes that combine technical AI skills with regulatory knowledge and ethical training will be particularly valuable.
The EMA researchers’ work provides a roadmap that European academic communities can follow to ensure their research remains relevant and contributes meaningfully to public health objectives across the continent.
