General
EBF was founded in 2006 at the initiative of 12 pharmaceutical companies, all of them having bioanalytical lab activities in Europe. The goal of bringing these companies together was to implement a platform for discussions of science, day-to-day procedures, business tools, technologies and last but not least regulatory issues. Until 2010, EBF membership was limited to companies involved in bioanalytical activities in a pharmaceutical research and development environment in Europe. From 2011 onwards, the EBF welcomed CROs involved in bioanalytical activities in a pharmaceutical research and development environment in Europe. Currently, the EBF counts 66 members (October 2019). Since 2010, the EBF became a non-profit organisation (vzw) established pursuant to the Belgian Act of 27 June 1921 on non-profit associations, international non-profit associations and foundations.

EBF Mission

• Our mission is to share, discuss, optimize and seek alignment on a broad array of bioanalytical topics including science, procedures, business tools and technology, and regulatory issues.
• Internal discussions within EBF aim to recommend or influence opinions/procedures towards our members, business partners, regulatory bodies and any other stakeholders.
• Going forward, EBF is providing guidance and recommendations to the European and Global bioanalytical community
• Finally, provide development opportunities for EU based scientist by joining cross company collaborations and contributions to peer reviewed journals, international meetings and symposia

Highlights of Ground rules

R&D based companies (Pharma & CRO) can become member:

• Members should be active in regulated bioanalysis in Europe (either hands on or managing from within EU).
• Members should contribute to EBF mission, by active participation to EBF meetings and/or in topic teams and/or in symposium organization)
• Each company can assign one representative for “Small” (SMOL) and one for “Large” (IGM) to the annual strategy meeting.
• A company can assign additional members to topic teams (TT), provided EBF SC sponsor and TT lead agree.

Internal organization of the EBF

Steering Committee

The day-to-day management, as well as the representation of the EBF as far as the day-to-day management and external representation is concerned is delegated from the Board of Directors to a Steering Committee elected amongst the Pharma members (see steering-committee).

Internal Meetings and Topic teams

The EBF organizes and internal Annual Strategy Meeting (around March, Belgium). At this meeting, the members discuss and agree on the themes in scope of internal discussion for the duration of the upcoming year. Around these themes Topic Teams are assigned. These topic teams take the themes forward in preparation for an agreed deliverable. The deliverable can range from internal feedback to EBF members (e.g. process improvement or harmonized interpretation of regulatory Guidance), publication (discussion paper, recommendation paper, white paper) or present at international scientific meetings.

External Meetings