Belgium passes on the baton after a well-acquitted Presidency of the EU

Belgium has managed to complete some files, set the wheels in motion for others, and build a solid foundation for the future.

That the Belgian Presidency of the EU had such a strong programme on health, is in no small part down to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, Frank Vandenbroucke.

In an op-ed for Euractiv he laid out the connections between European and national health policy, “Europe must step in to avoid implosion of parts of our national health systems. This is not done by replacing national policies but by creating a supportive ‘holding environment’: that is what a true European Health Union is about.”

Vandenbroucke is one of the names often heard in the mix for the job of future EU Health Commissioner. Though he has had general approval from NGOs, he is treated with fear and loathing by some sectors. In particular, there is concern from some quarters that he will side with the opponents of highly processed food, alcohol and – of course – tobacco.

Belgium’s Presidency of the Council coincided with the end of the current legislative cycle. The EU Health Data Space and the substances of human origin, SoHO, regulation were steered to a safe landing. The Council also managed to reach an agreement on vaccine-preventable cancers, though fell short of agreeing on a recommendation for a smoke-free environment. 

The Belgians started the Council’s reflections on the EU pharmaceutical package, reaching a “stable” text on medicine shortages, while leaving some questions linked to this issue open. Member states have had their first discussion on “the broad architecture” of incentives, revealing a wide range of opinions around the table. 

Health Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides described the launch of the Critical Medicines Alliance in April, as a very significant step taken under the Belgian presidency. The Alliance provides a framework to address shortages, without waiting on legislative change in the pharma package. 

The Belgians also wanted to use their presidency to lay the foundations for the next EU political term (2024 – 2029). Hosting and organising several high-level conferences to discuss all aspects of the European Health Union, from antimicrobial resistance to determinants of health.

As Europe looks ahead to a new Commission and Parliament, the conclusions from the last Health Council on the Future of the European Health Union, provides an agreed list of the eight main challenges that lie ahead; medicine shortages, shortages in the health workforce, prevention of non-communicable diseases, targeting unmet medical needs, combatting antimicrobial resistance, developing an EU ecosystem for clinical trials, crisis preparedness, an agenda on health and climate change, and improving EU implementation tools.

Other news

Innovative Health Initiative – Call for projects

Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) launches calls for proposals in eight broad areas from combatting cardiovascular disease in cities, to making use of ‘big data’ to make sense of osteoarthritis. The total budget for the call is € 96.5 million. Of this, € 47.6 million comes from Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme; € 40.9 million comes from IHI’s industry members; and € 8.1 comes from IHI contributing partners. The deadline for short proposals is 10 October 2024.

Médecins Sans Frontières ends its Access Campaign 

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is implementing a new structure that will replace the MSF Access Campaign.

“As we undergo this transition, we continue our work and commitment to getting medicines and urgent healthcare products to the people and communities who are often denied access to them,” says Dr. Christos Christou, MSF international president.

The decision has been met with widespread consternation with over 100 organisations writing an open letter to MSF calling on them to continue the campaign and even expand their efforts. 

Reducing the risk of tick-borne encephalitis this summer

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has issued a warning of the risks of tick-borne encephalitis, particularly during the summer months. They recommend wearing protective clothing with long sleeves, using insect repellent and seeking vaccination for this disease. In 2022, there were 3,650 cases reported in 20 EU/EEA countries.

EFSA updates its independence policy

The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) updated its Independence Policy to enhance accountability and transparency. 

Can living near an airport make you ill?

Transport and Environment NGO have extrapolated data collected from Amsterdam Schipol Airpor on ultrafine particles (UFP) released when jet fuel is burnt and applied it to Europe’s main airports. The study estimates that a total of 280,000 cases of high blood pressure, 330,000 cases of diabetes, and 18,000 cases of dementia may be linked to aviation-related UFP emissions around Europe’s 32 busiest airports.

Hope on the horizon as high incidence countries focus efforts on eradicating tuberculosis

European Health Council adopts recommendation aimed at eliminating vaccine-preventable cancers

Twelve EU states call for European action on nicotine products aimed at youth

Health Council to grapple with incentives in pharma package

OP-ED Frank Vandenbroucke With national health systems under unprecedented stress, a European Health Union is badly needed

Health fund of $1.1 bn announced in Paris to support vaccines production in Africa

News from the capitals 

PRAGUE
A coalition of six EU member states has warned against some countries’ massive stockpiling of medicines, warning that such practices might cause significant shortages in other parts of the European Union. Read more.

///

THE HAGUE
Dutch Minister plans to implement new reimbursement system for high-cost medicine. Concerns have been raised about the relative effectiveness of an increasing number of new medicines at the time of their market authorisation, a spokesperson for outgoing Dutch Medical Care Minister Pia Dijkstra told Euractiv. Read more.

///

BRUSSELS
New wave of radioligand therapy triggers Belgium to launch action plan.
A new wave of radioligand therapies is approaching. With healthcare systems and policymakers ill-equipped to handle the change, Belgium is launching an action plan. Read more.

///

WARSAW
Poland’s medical device integration gets new EMA guidance, but industry sounds caution.
New guidance issued by the European Medicines Agency on medical devices aims to streamline procedures, but integrating technologies into healthcare systems remains challenging, warns the Polish industry. Read more.

///

Opioid prescriptions under scrutiny in Poland prompted by fentanyl fears.
The Polish Ministry of Health has implemented a daily system for monitoring the prescription and dispensing of opioids following increasing reports of fentanyl use in the country. Read more.

///

SOFIA
Bulgaria extends ban on exports of insulin, antibiotics for children.
Bulgaria continues to experience serious medicine supply problems, leading caretaker Health Minister Galya Kondeva to extend the export ban on antibiotics for children, insulin and blood sugar-lowering drugs until mid-July. Read more.

24 – 27 June – EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use will meet; highlights from the meeting will be published on 28 June.

26 June – EMA press briefing on glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) shortages.

26 June – Working Party on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices meet to discuss the Pharma Package and the appointment of a civil society representative to the management board of the European Medicines Agency.

26 June – COREPER 1, agenda includes roadmap to strengthen cross-border cooperation in the EU in the field of crisis preparedness and response and a report from the Belgian Presidency on the main achievements at EU level in the field of the resilience of critical entities.

1July – Start of the Hungarian Presidency of the EU.

1July – EMA will organise a multistakeholder workshop on shortages GLP-1 aimed at strengthening cooperation and finding novel solutions.

2 July –  European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) will officially replace the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The agency will have a broader mandate and will be able to respond more effectively to drug-related threats.

3 July – Official launch of the EUDA in the presence of European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson.

3 – 4 July – High-Level Conference on Cardiovascular Health, Budapest, Hungary

*Clara Bauer-Babef and Haven Dager contributed to this brief

[Edited by Rajnish Singh]

Read more with Euractiv