Lorraine Nolan, who was chief executive of the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) overseeing medicines in Ireland, will take up the prestigious European role.
Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne congratulated Dr Lorraine Nolan on her appointment.
Dr Nolan was elected by a two-thirds majority in a secret ballot by the EUDA Management Board following a competitive public recruitment process and will take office on January 1, 2026.
Minister Byrne said: “This appointment is one of which Ireland is immensely proud. Dr Nolan’s distinguished career and expertise uniquely position her to guide EUDA through its important mission of addressing one of the most significant challenges facing our societies today.”
The European Union Drugs Agency plays a crucial role in monitoring, analysing, and responding to drug-related threats across the European Union.
Under Dr Nolan’s leadership, the agency will continue to strengthen its capacity to address the evolving nature of drug markets and their associated harms, he said.
Minister Byrne added: “I am confident that the EUDA will benefit enormously from Dr Nolan’s expertise and vision. It is fantastic to see an Irish person elected to lead such a prominent and important EU agency.
“I very much look forward to working with her in her new capacity and to continuing Ireland’s strong collaboration with EUDA.
“Ireland strongly welcomes and supports the appointment of Irish nationals to senior leadership positions with EU institutions and agencies. Such appointments reflect Ireland’s commitment to European integration and our ability to contribute experienced skilled professionals to key roles that benefit the entire European Union.”
It was announced by the HPRA recently that Dr Nolan will step down from her position as head of the HPRA at the end of this year to pursue new career options.
Dr Nolan has served as the Chief Executive of the HPRA for over nine years and, by the end of 2025, she will have completed two terms in this leadership role.
During her tenure, she has successfully guided the organisation through a significant transformation of its key regulatory functions and an expansion of its operations, elevating the standing of the HPRA on national, European and international levels.
In addition, her determined and strategic leadership during Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic ensured the national regulator for medicines and medical devices made a vital contribution to the successful navigation of these challenges.
The HPRA said Dr Nolan has been a significant contributor to the leadership of both medicines and medical device regulation at European level.
Through her former position as Chair of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Management Board (2022-2025) and her membership of the Heads of Medicines Agency (HMA) Management Group, she has held many significant roles at this level that have both defined strategy and positively enhanced delivery.
Professor Michael Donnelly, Chair of the HPRA, said: “I wish to commend Dr Nolan for her unwavering leadership and dedication to the organisation.
“Her tenure has been marked by significant achievements and a hugely positive, enduring legacy. I want to express both my personal thanks and that of the Authority to Lorraine for her service and wish her every success with her future endeavours.”
The Authority is commencing the process for recruitment of a new Chief Executive of the HPRA to take up the position from January 2026.