EU-Africa PerMed Wraps Up After 4.5 Years of Building Bridges in Personalised Medicine

EU-Africa PerMed Wraps Up After 4.5 Years of Building Bridges in Personalised Medicine

The EU-Africa PerMed project officially concluded on 31 July 2025, after 4.5 years dedicated to strengthening cooperation between Europe and Africa in personalised medicine (PM). ECRIN was proud to be a core partner in this ambitious initiative, which has made lasting contributions to science, policy, and international collaboration.

One of the project’s primary goals—integrating African countries into the International Consortium for Personalised Medicine (ICPerMed)—was successfully achieved, with four African organisations joining ICPerMed and ERA PerMed. This milestone paves the way for more inclusive and collaborative personalised medicine initiatives between the EU and AU.

EU-Africa PerMed mapped the personalised medicine landscape in Africa, brought together stakeholders from both continents, and facilitated key policy discussions. Outcomes include the EU-Africa PerMed Action Plan, two policy briefs, the Dakar Declaration, and strengthened regional research networks that will continue beyond the project. Capacity building activities were a big part of the project, with 11 webinars and 3 high-level stakeholder workshops in Dakar, South Africa, and Nairobi, bringing together experts and institutions to align on priorities, challenges, and opportunities for EU-Africa collaboration in PM. All these resources are still available on the project website under Training and Ressources: https://www.euafrica-permed.eu/

ECRIN participated in the work package dedicated to capacity building and training, helping to identify training needs in African settings and to connect with existing training initiatives in personalised medicine. This work was led by the Italian Ministry of Health and the African Population & Health Research Centre (APHRC, Kenya). In particular, ECRIN helped organise an in-person interactive Summer School in South Africa focused on the adoption and integration of standards in personalised medicine research—building on insights from the PERMIT project. The event supported young professionals in developing skills across the PM research pathway and promoted cross-continental collaboration.

Although the project has ended, its impact continues—through the integration of Africa in ICPerMed’s internationalisation activities and the ongoing advocacy of all project partners for equitable, global collaboration in personalised medicine. The legacy of EU-Africa PerMed is stronger ties, clearer strategy, and a shared commitment to personalised, inclusive, and effective healthcare.