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| Mon 14 October 2024 | View online Estimated reading time: 4-5 minutes |
| | | | Political groups await EPP's move on full-standing health committee |
| The future of the potential standing health committee (SANT) in the European Parliament remains unclear as discussions are currently at a standstill, sources close to the negotiations told Euractiv.
The political groups in the European Parliament are waiting for the European People's Party to present a proposal for a mandate. Despite initiating the request for SANT’s transition, the centre-right group has yet to make any formal move.
“We are obviously ready to discuss, but for now, we cannot do anything but wait for the EPP to come to us,” a member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) involved in the discussions told Euractiv.
SANT is currently a subcommittee of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI). If it is to be upgraded its will need to agree on its role and remit.
The Renew Europe group, generally supportive of establishing the committee, is also waiting for the EPP’s green light.
The EPP "may be focusing on the hearings of the European commissioners, which is time-consuming. This also increasingly rules out the possibility of voting on this matter in November,” said a member of the Renew Europe group.
Asked about the issue, German MEP Peter Liese (EPP), who sits on SANT, also said, “I can’t say anything on the matter for now.”
Despite this deal, questions on competencies allocation remain if SANT becomes a full-standing committee. Read more here. |
| | | | Pfizergate: Text messages hearing planned for mid-November |
| Cast your mind back to April 2021, when an article in The New York Times by Brussels Bureau Chief, Matina Stevi, recounted how the EU sealed the deal for the purchase of 1.8 billion much needed COVID-19 doses with pharma giant Pfizer.
The article referred to text messages between the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO, Albert Bourla.
Following a denial of access to the texts, a complaint was lodged with the European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly. O’Reilly found that the failure to look for, or register, the work-related texts amounted to maladministration.
Stevi and The New York Times filed a case against the Commission on 25 January 2023, claiming that the texts fell within Regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to documents.
The EU’s Court of Justice has finally set a date to hear the ‘Stevi’ case (T-36/23 Stevi et The New York Times / Commission). The hearing is planned for the morning of 15 November. |
| | 🟡 World Health Summit, Berlin |
| | Global health summit tackles WHO funding crisis and building trust |
| The World Health Summit 2024 (WHS) in Berlin will focus on antimicrobial resistance, climate-health nexus, and AI in healthcare, but the WHO Investment Round will be the key event.
A pledging event for the WHO Investment Round will take place this evening.
“Everything we do depends on the trust of the communities we serve, [...] and the member states which set the global health agenda and entrust us with the resources to deliver it,” said Director-General of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday's opening evening.
“Delivering that strategy requires a strong and sustainably financed WHO, which is why we have launched the first WHO investment round [...] to fulfil our role over the next four years.” “We need to strengthen the cooperation and trust within and between academia, politics, the private sector and civil society,” President of the WHS, Axel Radlach Pries, told Euractiv. “This is not an easy task in the face of many challenges from pandemics to persistent inequalities, but the WHS is an optimal place to start.” Read more here. |
| | Take aways from the first day of World Health Summit, Berlin |
| Influenza’s Hidden Threats: Global Influenza Expert, Dr Meral Akçay from Sanofi, highlighted the overlooked link between influenza and cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death.
Influenza vaccines go beyond flu prevention—they reduce all-cause cardiovascular mortality.
Akçay’s message: Expect more from vaccines and strengthen pandemic preparedness in non-pandemic periods. “In the interpandemic period we need to do something, to be prepared for the pandemics.”
“Surveillance is a must,” she said.
Post-Viral Challenges: Professor Dr. Carmen Scheibenbogen, Head of Immundeficiency, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, addressed the widespread effects of long COVID, which is estimated to affect 400 million people globally and contributes to a 0.5-2% reduction in GDP.
She warned that long COVID is part of a larger issue: post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS), which can be triggered by viruses like influenza and lead to severe conditions like myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
Post-viral conditions must be prioritised for both their health and economic impacts.
Mental Health Matters: Dr Anke Witteveen, Clinical Psychologist, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam highlighted the pandemic’s mental health fallout, with young people, women, and migrants being particularly vulnerable.
As mental health issues rise, Witteveen emphasised the need for a holistic approach to pandemic preparedness, making mental health a central part of our resilience. |
| | | | G7 ministers call for stronger governance of AI |
| On Friday, October 11, the health ministers of G7 countries issued a joint statement following two days of meetings in Ancona, Italy, stressing the need for robust governance, equitable access to digital technologies, and high data protection in light of the emergence of AI in healthcare.
The ministers committed to promoting the "safe and ethical use of AI," standardising data, minimising biases, supporting healthcare professional training, and encouraging transparency and international collaboration.
They also pledged to strengthen the global health architecture, stating, "We have a collective responsibility to enhance the global health architecture by investing in prevention and preparedness for health emergencies while promoting regional manufacturing of health products and equitable access to safe, effective, and affordable medical countermeasures."
According to the joint declaration, support for the WHO is essential for strengthening global health architecture. The ministers believe sustainable funding for the WHO should be guaranteed through its investment cycle aimed at financing the fourteenth general program of work (2025-2028).
In addition to strengthening global health, the ministers outlined two other priorities: pandemic prevention and response, and promoting active and healthy aging through innovation. Furthermore, the ministers also committed to "restoring essential health services to levels higher than those before the pandemic." |
| | | | | French government unveils 2025 health budget |
| France - French ministers on Thursday (10 October) approved the Social Security Financing Bill, which aims to reduce the social security deficit from the €18 billion expected for the year to €16 billion next year.
To achieve these savings, the French government has outlined a series of measures, starting with a reduction in the amount reimbursed by the national health insurance for medical consultations, combined with a higher contribution from supplementary health insurance. Overall, the share of health insurance would fall from the current 70% to 60%. The bill, which still needs to be approved by National Assembly, also aims to open negotiations with representatives of radiologists and medical analysis laboratories to reduce the prices of medical imaging and biological analyses.
The government intends to reduce the ceiling for sick leave reimbursement, a measure that could potentially save €600 million.
Savings on medicines are being proposed, aimed at saving a further €1 billion. "We plan to work with the pharmaceutical industry on a plan to reduce the prices of certain drugs," said Darrieussecq, saying this could save . Read more here. |
| | French politicians alarmed by sale of Sanofi’s Opella to US equity firm |
| France - French pharmaceutical and healthcare company Sanofi announced on Friday (11 October) that it has entered negotiations with US-based private equity firm CD&R to sell its 50% controlling stake in its consumer healthcare business, Opella.
French Ministers for the Economy and Industry, Antoine Armand and Marc Ferracci, said they respected Sanofi's choice to pursue exclusive discussions with CD&R (Clayton, Dubilier and Rice).
Nevertheless, the ministers state that they are seeking further commitments from Sanofi and CD&R, “to preserve Opella’s French industrial footprint” and warn that they are willing to use provisions to control foreign investments in France, should they be required.
French centre-right MEP Laurent Castillo (Les Républicains/EPP) tweeted, “Preserving our health sovereignty is of vital strategic importance. The government must oppose it. Let's keep Doliprane under French flags.”
The European Union has lost much of its production to cheaper manufacturers outside the EU, especially China and India. The pandemic has further demonstrated how losing EU production could result in supply shortages.
The incoming Commission intends to address the medicine shortage problem, with Commission president Ursula von der Leyen calling on the next commissioner for health to present a Critical Medicines Act. Read more here. |
| | Czechia launches ‘First Step to Health’ campaign |
| Czechia - “Where do you go on the web for credible health information?” This is the question that the Czech National Health Information Portal (NZIP) will try to answer.
Launched last Thursday (10 October), the aim is to provide citizens with information, which will provide verified and expert-guaranteed information from various areas, whether it's about diseases, prevention and a healthy lifestyle or other advice and recommendations.
The project is led by the Czech Institute of Health Information and Statistics and will also receive €2.6 million from European funding. Read more here. |
| | | | | | | | | Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), No health items currently tabled |
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| | | | | | Commission v Hungary, on the scheduling of cannabis and cannabis-related substances |
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| | | | | | | | Heads of government meet in Brussels |
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| | Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT), European Parliament, Brussels Presentation of the Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on smoke and aerosol-free environments by Antonio Parenti, Director for Public health, Cancer and Health security, DG SANTE; Exchange of views with Professor Claudio Bassetti from the European Brain Council on neurological health; Presentation of the study of the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies' on ‘Current challenges and opportunities for addressing obesity’ |
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| | | | Heads of government meet in Brussels |
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| | | | | | Today’s brief was brought to you by Euractiv’s Health team |
| | | | | Today’s briefing was prepared by the Health team: Catherine Feore, Clara Bauer-Babef, Emma Pirnay, Thomas Mangin, and Lydia Williams. Additional reporting from Jeremias Lin who is attending the World Health Summit in Berlin. Share your feedback or information with us at digital@euractiv.com. |
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