Cardiovascular disease tops Hungary’s health agenda for EU Presidency

Hungary will focus its six-month European Council presidency on cardiovascular disease and organ transplantation and intends to take a back seat on other issues, according to its priorities announced on Tuesday (18 June).

“Hungary sees health in a more strategic, rather than legislative way,” a Hungarian diplomat told Euractiv. Health is considered to be “an overarching objective to strengthen the EU’s industry, to foster competitiveness and allow economic growth” while keeping an eye on “demographic challenges such as ageing”.

Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is high on the agenda, and the European Commission, the European People’s Party (EPP), the European Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and the Greens/EFA have also identified it as a priority.

According to Eurostat, diseases of the circulatory system are the leading cause of death in the EU, responsible for almost one-third (32.7 %) of all deaths in 2020. Hungary is one of the countries that suffers from a high death rate from coronary heart disease.

Hungary will present a concept paper on cardiovascular diseases at a conference organised by the European Society of Cardiology in Budapest on the 4 July. Hungary plans to draft a European Action Plan that will address prevention, innovation and treatment, taking account of geographical and gender inequalities. 

Organ transplantation

Organ transplantation is the second main priority. Hungary wants to reinvigorate the ‘Action Plan on Organ Donation and Transplantation (2009-2015)’.

On 11 July, a high-level conference on organ donation and transplantation is foreseen in Budapest.

Other health areas will see Hungary take a back seat by collaborating with international institutions rather than taking the initiative.

Mental health

Mental health is one of these. Hungary plans to focus on prevention and resilience, raising awareness of how depression and anxiety result from “a current polycrisis” created by wars, the aftermath of the pandemic and the threat of climate change. It will pay particular attention to mental health issues, focusing on women. The Hungarian Presidency intends to reflect this in the form of Council Conclusions

Hungary will assist the work of the World Health Organisation, which is organising a conference on mental health in Brussels on 7 October.

Hungary is also meaning to close-off files that remain from the current Commission mandate (2019-2024): the pharmaceutical package – including rare diseases and antimicrobial resistance – the European Health Data Space and the pandemic treaty.

Pharma Package

On the pharmaceutical package, Hungarian diplomats appeared to be ambivalent, intending to act only as an honest broker to guide the negotiations, which are expected to continue into 2025. Priority areas of the package will be monetary incentives for research and innovation and market entry authorisations.

Pandemic treaty

On the pandemic treaty, Hungary will advocate that its discussions be closed by May 2025 as foreseen, or even earlier.

European Health Data Space

On the European Health Data Space, Hungary is organising a closed-doors informal lunch of ministers on 24-25 July to ensure the implementation of the recently-adopted regulation.

Occupational health

Hungary will devote special attention to the topic of occupational health and safety for the implementation of the European Occupational Health. The latest revision package of the directive on occupational safety limits for carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic substances is expected to be published in September 2024.

Other news

No time for cuts to the EU’s health budget

EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe, non-profit alliance of over 1,000 rare disease organisations urges new MEPs to keep health at the forefront. Alarmed by the 20% reduction in the EU4Health budget and a shift in funding allocations.  Virginie Bros-Facer, Chief Executive of EURORDIS, said: “It is crucial that health remains at the forefront of the EU agenda to safeguard the well-being of its most vulnerable groups, especially those affected by rare diseases.”

Radioisotopes secured

The Council reached an agreement on conclusions to ensure the supply of medical radioisotopes, which are “crucial to lifesaving treatments,” according to a tweet by Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides. The Belgian Presidency can add this to their list of achievements. 

EMA – Testing, testing

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is co-ordinating a Europe-wide consultation on the International Council for Harmonisation’s (ICH) guidelines on general principles on the planning, design and analysis of pharmacoepidemiological studies that utilize real-world data for safety assessment of medicines. While medicines are tested in clinical trials, pharmacoepidemiological studies collect further information on the real use of medicines once approved for clinical use. 

ECDC – Olympic Games, UEFA and health 

ECDC has published recommendations in preparation for mass gatherings surrounding events like the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games and UEFA 2024 Football Cup, ECDC warns of heightened chances for epidemic-level outbreaks if public health guidelines are not followed.  

ECDC – Andrea Ammon retires end of June

The European Centre for Disease Control’s (ECDC) Director, Andrea Ammon is retiring after a 19-year career with the organisation, which has grown dramatically since its inception in 2005. Ammon started as Head of Surveillance in 2005 and became its director in 2015.

EU4Health webinar

A live webinar is set to take place 26 June. The information session is organised by European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) in collaboration with DG SANTE to provide information related the Call for Proposals for EU action grants in the field of cancer under the EU4Health Programme (EU4H), Annual Work Programme 2024, which includes 4 different topics. The overall budget for EU4Health in 2024 is €752.4 million. 

Virtual healthcare  

Philips presented the results of its Future Health Index 2024 report. It is hoped that AI-enabled healthcare will help to address workforce shortages, financial burdens, and growing demand.

Philips’ Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer Shez Partovi says, “It’s critical to bring staff along on the journey to ensure an inclusive AI rollout with patient and clinician experience is at the forefront.”

Tobacco – Up in smoke

In its annual report, Europe’s anti-fraud office, OLAF, reports that in 2023 its operations led to the seizure of more than 616 million illicit cigarettes worldwide, including 331 million cigarettes confiscated at the EU’s external borders. According to the office, this prevented losses of over €151 million to the EU and national budgets.

Health not a priority in EU Council’s 2024-2029 strategic agenda

The European Council will not consider health as a priority for the next five years, according to a leaked draft of the EU’s Strategic Agenda seen by Euractiv.

LEAK: Spain to ask member states for medical aid with Gaza patients

Spain will urge EU health ministers to support the transfer of patients in need of urgent medical care from Gaza to EU countries willing to offer their healthcare services, according to a leaked document seen by Euractiv.

Italy opposes reference to ‘safe and legal abortion’ in G7 draft communiqué

Italy worked to torpedo language on sexual and reproductive rights included in the G7 draft communiqué.

News from the capitals

SOFIA
The Bulgarian government will carry out a broad cervical cancer screening programme in an attempt to get closer to the EU average, providing initial funding of €4.5 million, which will be transferred to the National Health Insurance Fund. Read more.

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THE HAGUE
Lower innovative drug costs not being passed on by pharma firms, say Dutch researchers. Lower drug pricing does not follow from an expansion of innovative medicine indications, according to Dutch researchers. They claim pharma companies often fail to pass on their financial gain to patients and health services. Read more.

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BRUSSELS
Sanofi calls for next Commission to boost Europe’s research capabilities. 
Sanofi is emphasising the strategic importance of Belgium in its pharmaceutical research and development initiatives, while also highlighting the EU’s potential to lead an artificial intelligence-driven revolution in medicine, particularly in the discovery and development of medicines. Read more.

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STOCKHOLM
Strike by Swedish health workers escalates as holiday season approaches.
Massive healthcare protests continue across Sweden, with 3,300 healthcare workers on strike, operations cancelled, and waiting times prolonged. Read more.

19 June – Executive Vice-President for the Economy, Valdis Dombrovskis will announce the European Semester Spring package, with recommendations for Member States on economic policies and reforms, including health 

19 June – Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States (COREPER I) 

21 June – Council of Ministers for Health (EPSCO), to discuss the incentives cluster, to adopt a recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers, and to approve the conclusions on the European Health Union 

24 – 26 June – Homeopathic medicinal products working group of the European Medicines Agency 

26 – 28 June – Working group of quality managers – Heads of Medicine Agencies

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

[Edited by Alice Taylor]

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