Major Legislative Changes In Hungary's Pharma And Food Industry

• Law Firm: Schoenherr Attorneys at Law
• Subject Matter: Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Food and Drugs Law
• Author: Mr D'niel Gera and 'kos Kov'cs
• Published date: 08 August 2023

Significant legal changes occurred in the Hungarian pharmaceutical and food industry in the summer of 2023. According to Government Decree No. 333/2023. (VII. 20.), as of 1 August 2023, the National Public Health Centre (NNK) and the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition (OGYÉI) merged, establishing a new authority, the National Centre for Public Health and Pharmacy (Nemzeti Népegészségügyi és Gyógyszerészeti K'zpont, NNGYK).

The NNGYK is a central budgetary body operating as a central office under the minister responsible for healthcare (currently the Minister of the Interior, S'ndor Pintér) led by the chief medical officer, Cecília Müller. The Government Decree also appoints the NNGYK as the governmental body for pharmaceuticals.

The NNGYK is the legal successor of the NNK and OGYÉI. Among its most important tasks are public health, epidemiology, health promotion, healthcare administration and coordination, occupational health, drug policy and activities in the fields of pharmacy, medical devices, food and cosmetics. The legislator expects increased efficiency and faster approval for specialised healthcare and pharmaceuticals through the merger of the NNK and the OGYÉI, as the two organisations often worked together in various regulatory procedures. In addition, risk assessments following the placement on the market of food supplements, as well as any possible public health procedures related to them, may become more efficient after the merger.

In another important legislative change, Act XLVI of 2008 on the food supply chain and on the control and supervision of the food supply chain was amended as of 7 July 2023. According to the recent amendment, food supplements that do not comply with the conditions specified in the decree of the Minister of the Interior can only be sold in pharmacies or in stores that meet...