Exchange of views with Swedish Ministers for Welfare, the Elderly and Public Health

On 2 September, the Committee heard about the Presidency’s priorities from two ministers, Göran Hägglund (Swedish Minister for Welfare) and Maria Larsson (Swedish Minister for the Elderly and Public Health).

Minister Göran Hägglund was told in no uncertain terms that the European Parliament wanted more urgency on Patients’ Rights and Information to Patients and Mrs Larsson was quizzed on the safety and possible side effects of an eventual vaccine on H1N1.

Göran Hägglund (Minister for Welfare)

In his opening speech, Mr Hägglund underlined the fact that health issues are an important part of our lives. This statement was supported by the spring Eurobarometer, which showed that citizens felt that health was one of the most important issues on the political agenda. He called on the Council, Presidency and the European Parliament to cooperate in the interest of European citizens.

He outlined the priorities for the Swedish Presidency in his field of competence:

 Health and medical care
 Patients’ rights and antibiotic resistance
 Ensuring continuity of work with the Spanish Presidency
 Alcohol
 Influenza

He elaborated on a number of key points, which were then further discussed with MEPs following questions:

 The presidency hoped for political agreement on Patient’s Rights but he reminded MEPs that there were still many outstanding issues such as the scope; private care providers; cooperation on healthcare (i.e recognition of prescriptions, European reference networks, e-health and health technology assesments); reasonable level of security and quality;
 Regarding the Pharmaceutical Package, the Council wanted to push ahead on Counterfeit and Pharmacovigilence and, as a result, Information to Patients would not be pushed;
 More incentives and research were needed to find new antibiotics;
 EU cooperation on ehealth needs to be strengthened and IT tools used to make medical care safer and more effective;
 Organ donations would be left to the Spanish Presidency who lead the field on this issue;

Maria Larsson (Minister for Elderly and Public Health)

In here opening address, Ms. Larsson underlined the importance of a coordinated approach to health in the European Union. In her presentation she addressed a broad range of issues including influenza (both H1N1 and Seasonal), alcohol, drugs, smoke-free environments and dignified ageing.

She went into detail on the following points:

 Member states are well prepared for flu pandemic and have been cooperating well until now - ECDC in particularly has been of great assistance in coordinating efforts. There will be a further meeting on 12 October to discuss the pandemic and Council conclusions are planned;
 There is a need to look at access to the vaccine; joint procurement for Member States who do not have agreements with the manufacturers;
 Council will also discuss recommendation to reach target of 75 per cent of population over 65 receiving the seasonal flu vaccine;
 Council Conclusions should be expected in December on alcohol following various conferences – the European experts conference will focus on young people, marketing and the harmful effects of excess consumption in general. A global conference will tackle alcohol and poverty and the spread of infectious diseases.
 The Swedish Presidency hopes to adopt recommendations on smoke-free environments.

Questions from MEPs followed, of particular relevance:

Liese (EPP, DE) called for Information to patients needs to be neutral and not just from industry;

Roth Behrendt (S&D, DE) said it was a scandal that the Council would not look at Patient Information during the Swedish Presidency. This view was shared by a number of MEPs, including Lepage (ALDE, FR). Chatzimarkakis (ALDE, DE) asked why the Swedes are delaying Information to Patients when it is their system that is being proposed;

Parvanova (ALDE, BG) stressed that patient’s rights are not just a cross border issue but should look at disparities between Member States on safety, quality, and issues of access among others – she hopes the Council will take up a report on health inequalities;

Grossetete (EPP, FR) called for more urgency on Patient’s Rights Directive and counterfeit drugs in the Pharmaceutical Package.

Willmott (S&D, UK) urged the Council to act on Alzheimer and it should work towards getting Member States to jointly programme research investment. Ries (ALDE, BE) agreed that Alzheimer is a key issuel.

Rivasi (Greens/EFA, FR) asked who is responsible for side effects on vaccinations – the producer, or is it the case, as in the US, that pharmaceutical companies are trying to make the government responsible. This point was also taken up by Mikolasik (EPP, SK), Lepage (ALDE, FR) and Pargneaux (S&D, FR).

Seeber (EPP, AT) said that more robust measures were needed in order to curb the increasing prevalence of alcohol-related harm.

Hagglund in reply:

 The presidency would like to get agreement on Patient’s Rights but large differences still exist, on prior authorization for example, and we need to find a majority;
 The Swedish Presidency supports the voucher system so that it’s not only the rich who can travel abroad;
 Some member states have constitutional problems with Information to Patients and we are not going to solve those in six months;
 Agreed that there needs to be better coordination on rare diseases and confirmed that there are pilot projects underway.

Larsson in reply:

 There is currently a good amount of work being carried out in the troika on Alzheimers but there is a need for better statistics – the Swedish Presidency is hoping for Conclusions in December;
 Safety issues surrounding the H1N1 vaccine will be addressed by EMEA in their studies and there will be guidelines on use for children – new information is communicated on a regular basis by ECDC;
 Health inequalities is likely to be taken up as a priority by the Spanish Presidency. * snus will not be raised by the Presidency.