ConcePTION: Creating Knowledge for Women

“Pregnant and breastfeeding women have long been overlooked in the medical research. Today, only about 5% of medications have adequate safety information on use in pregnant or breastfeeding women” (see https://www.imi-conception.eu/).

The IMI2-funded project ConcePTION takes up this topic and got off to a promising start in building a scientific-based ecosystem in April 2019.  Earlier this year, a Europe-wide carried out survey among health care professionals  and women was completed to better understand their information needs and preferred information sources regarding medication use during pregnancy and lactation. 85% of the women reported need for information about medications during pregnancy/lactation. And within the eight work packages of ConcePTION reliable evidence-based information on the safety of medicines will be generated.

BBMRI-ERIC is one of the 88 organisations from 22 countries involved in the joined efforts of building safety evidence. In the recent months literature has been reviewed, process descriptions were drafted and a concept for the quality management system for the human breast milk biobank and analytical centre at Uppsala Biobank has been developed together with the partners. The productive exchange took place with the experts from the working groups in various meetings and workshops. Additionally, the transfer of knowledge resulted in various collaborations and took even place across the Atlantic, e.g. with the Mommy’s Milk Biorepository for Human Milk Research in San Diego, CA.

In the months to come we will continue  our efforts for the further development of the establishment of the non-commercial, Europe-wide breast milk biobank and platform to analyse samples at Uppsala together with our partners.

More details on the project can be found on the website, on Youtube, or on Twitter @IMIConcePTION.