European Health Union: ‘L’Union fait la force’

The European Commission will present its update of the ‘European Health Union: a Europe that prepares, prevents and protects’ on Wednesday (22 May). Like the Belgian motto, ‘L’Union fait la force’ [Unity makes strength], the Health Union’s aim is to create a more resilient Europe.

“This Commission set itself a very ambitious health agenda from the very beginning of this mandate and this is seen in my mission letter,” Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told Euractiv. “Since then we are delivering not only on this but also a lot more.” 

Kyriakides says that putting the patient at the centre and bringing the EU closer to the citizens in the area of health, was the Commission’s highest priority: “This is the essence of our European Health Union. A Union where equity in access to optimal health care, to medicines, to prevention is the fundamental right we protect.”

“It took a pandemic crisis to realise we needed to change the way we worked in health policy, but by building a strong European Health Union we are now delivering what citizens expect from us.”

The Pink Silhouette Walk, under the auspices of the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Ms Stella Kyriakidou, in Nicosia on 07 October, 2023

Few of us could have imagined in 2019 that an EU Recovery and Resilience Facility would allocate €43 billion to healthcare, or that the EU would be granted the powers to deliver its vaccine strategy which, despite some early supply shortfalls, resulted in more than 80% of the EU’s adult population being fully vaccinated. 

The original European Health Union, presented in November 2020, focused on serious cross-border threats to health and ways to reinforce the crisis preparedness and response of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Today’s document is thought to take a broader approach, underlining the consensus that emergency preparedness also requires good public health and robust healthcare systems. 

Asked if she thought political support for health is waning, Kyriakides said the EU’s achievements over the past years couldn’t have happened without a huge effort between the EU, its member states, and stakeholders. “I am convinced this momentum and political support will continue in the coming years.”

“Health needs to remain at the top of the political agenda. And it is up to each of us to make sure of this.”

Are we ready?

In his recent report, former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta expressed concern that the EU had not learnt the lessons from the pandemic. Kyriakides pointed to the work done to strengthen health security and preparedness in Europe and through EU leadership globally.

This list is long and includes the creation of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and the strengthening of EMA and ECDC.

“Our health systems have the financial support to become more sustainable, accessible, inclusive and resilient through NextGenerationEU and EU4Health.”

Asked about the 20% budget cut to the EU4Health budget, removing a not insignificant one billion euros, she remained upbeat, saying that despite the cuts, the programme is still the largest and most ambitious the EU has ever had. She is determined to limit the impact of cuts by redeployment. “There are ways to do this”.

She remains convinced that the programme will significantly strengthen health systems and protect EU citizens’ health and well-being.

“Looking forward, I believe we must prioritise initiatives that address immediate health concerns for people – but it is vital that we also lay the groundwork for better long-term public health and health system resilience across the European Union for the future.”

“We are building a strong European Health Union, which is better prepared for any crisis that may come – and this was all possible to achieve without any changes when it comes to EU competence.”

ECDC to build expertise in behavioural and social aspects of disease control

The ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) has launched a new framework which expands on traditional infectious disease prevention by examining social and behavioural aspects, including socioeconomic risk factors, health promotion and health literacy. The initial focus will be on vaccine-preventable diseases and antimicrobial resistance. The idea is also to establish a community of experts who can exchange knowledge and skills across countries. The new framework follows the amended ECDC mandate, emphasizing a more holistic approach to disease prevention.

EMA receives imprimatur of WHO

The European Medicines Regulatory Network (EMRN) has been designated as a WHO Listed Authority (WLA) by the World Health Organisation. Sandra Gallina, European Commission director general for health and food safety, stated: “The fact that it is the first Regional Regulatory System to be listed as a WLA shows the confidence placed in this Network and the value of the work we do for public health”.

EU needs to catch up with US in research and development, lobby warns.  

Les Entreprises du médicament en France (Leem), an association of French pharmaceutical companies, unveiled its manifesto on Friday (May 17) ahead of June’s EU elections, with the focus on investing in research and development (R&D) in Europe to avoid falling behind the United States.

EMA safety committee suspends medicine used to prevent premature birth 

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) suspended the use of the hydroxyprogesterone caproate medicines, which mimic progestin hormone, amid doubts about their medical benefits and concerns that they might be related to increased cancer risk.

WHO warns of intensified antimicrobial resistance, updating priority pathogen list 

The EU’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) has welcomed the publication of the updated World Health Organisation Bacterial Priority Pathogens List (WHO BPPL). The guide is seen as vital to directing research investment in antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Pfizergate: Belgian court postpones case to December taking pressure off von der Leyen 

The latest hearing in the Pfizergate scandal has been postponed until 6 December by a Belgian court to give parties additional time to examine certain aspects of the case. The decision is likely to be a relief for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is currently busy on the campaign trail ahead of the June EU elections.

UK’s infected blood scandal could and should have been avoided, inquiry finds 

An infected blood scandal in Britain was no accident but the fault of doctors and a succession of governments that led to 3,000 deaths and thousands more contracting hepatitis or HIV, a public inquiry reported on Monday (20 May).

News from The Capitals

SOFIA
The Bulgarian pharmaceutical industry fears that the country’s political crisis could negatively impact the protection of national interests during the negotiations on the new European pharmaceutical legislation. Read more.

///

STOCKHOLM
Swedish neurologists warn ALS patients may have to self-pay for new gene therapy. Swedish doctors fear that ALS patients in Sweden may have to pay out of pocket for a treatment that targets a genetic cause of the neurodegenerative disease ALS. The EU Commission will decide this spring whether the drug can be marketed in Europe. Read more.

///

WARSAW
Poland’s medical innovation advances despite ongoing challenges, report shows. 
Polish medical innovation has seen improvements, yet significant challenges remain, according to the latest Access GAP data, with access to innovative therapies and diagnostics increasing. Read more.

///

PRAGUE
Czech clinical trials lead with 40% increase in cancer drug studies.
In Czechia, new data shows over 16,000 patients have been included in the research efforts for new drugs and vaccines, with clinical trials most frequently focusing on oncology and immunology. Read more.

On the agenda

22 May – Commission presents Communication: ‘European Health Union: acting together for people’s health’

22 May – COREPER I will discuss Commission’s proposal for a regulation on standards of quality and safety for substances of human origin intended for human application (“SoHO”) 

22 May – Meeting of Council’s Horizontal Working Party on Drugs

23 May – WHO webinar, ‘United Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR) from national to global preparedness, solidarity for a safer world

23-24 May – Meeting of Council’s Working Party on Public Health

23 May – The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies is organising a webinar to discuss EU response to prevention and control of AMR

27-29 May – EMA’s Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee experts will meet in Brussels

27 May-1 June – The World Health Assembly, in Geneva. On the agenda, will be amendments to International Health Regulations and the Pandemic Accord

27-31 May – A series of five EFPIA webinars will take place on how to reduce cancer inequalities in Europe, in the context of the European elections

28 May – A Belgium presidency conference on R&I  in health technologies, in Brussels

28 May – W@LifeSciences talk on communicating on science, in Brussels

28-29 May – Council’s Working Party on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices will discuss the second compromise text on the incentives cluster of the pharmaceutical legislation

28-31 May – The Working Group of Enforcement Officers will meet in Ghent to exchange expert views

29 May – Discussion in COREPER I of the shortages cluster of the pharmaceutical legislation

31 May – World No Tobacco Day 2024

31 May – EDAH European Health Data Space event in Brussels

31 May – Innovative Health Initiative online event on antimicrobial resistance

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]

Read more with Euractiv