The Health Ministers of the 25 European Union member states met in Paris on the 13-14 April 2005 to discuss “Health in Europe”. The main decisions aimed at reinforcing a common response to health threats.
Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French health minister, concluded the meeting by calling his colleagues to strenghten European health policies, stating that “a 25-nation Europe will be stronger to build a Europe that discovers novel therapies, a Europe that shares best practice for the benefit of the largest population, and a Europe that is protected from current and future epidemiological threats”.
The Conference created the opportunity for health ministers to discuss the issue of cancer, AIDS/HIV and communicable disease (especially the pandemic influenza risk).
Coordination was identifyied as an added-value on the following decisions:
The creation of an “Alliance against Cancer” to coordinate European experts.
The “European vaccine trials network” (EVTN) will coordinate HIV vaccine European clinical trials.
The expansion and reinforcement of the European surveillance system with regard to the current H5N1 avian flu threat. The creation of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC (due to start work in May 2005) was welcomed.
On this regard, Markos Kyprianou, Commissioner for Health, recalled that the Centre will not be fully operational before June 2006.
