CMS On the Pulse episode #8: A legal overview on public procurement for the Life Sciences & Healthcare sector On the Pulse

Nick Beckett speaks with Virginie Dor (CMS Belgium), Bernt Elsner (CMS Austria) and Caroline Hobson (CMS UK).
In this episode, we discuss:
the importance of public procurement in the Healthcare sector, representing approximately 10% of GDP in the E.U.
the challenges for public procurement in extreme and unforeseen emergencies, including COVID-19
the scrutiny of direct awards and potential legal challenges and sanctions
the joint centralised procurement of vaccines in short timeframes and the benefits and pitfalls of such approach
in what circumstances exclusivity, including due to IP rights or technical barriers, can justify derogation from public procurement procedures
what changes do U.K. companies face in public procurement procedures in the E.U., and vice versa, in light of Brexit