Cristian Busoi MEP hosts "Pandemic Flu: Public Health Approaches" organised by Fundamed with the support of EPHA

Fundamed (General Patients Alliance), with the support of the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) organised the seminar "Pandemic Flu: Public Health Approaches" in the European Parliament, on 8 October 2009. The event was hosted by Dr. Cristian Busoi MEP.

The debate was moderated by Santiago Quiroga, Executive Vice -President of Fundamed and gathered doctors, nurses and vaccine manufacturer representatives, as well as European policy makers. It highlighted the role of health professionals in tackling pandemic flu and allowed key players to share their views with MEPs. The debate took place as a part of the “Meet Civil Society” exhibition organised by the Civil Society Contact Group, where EPHA sits as a member.

Need for a European Strategy

Dr. Cristian Silviu Busoi MEP gave the opening speech, pointing out the need for a European strategy and for efficient measures to be implemented in the whole EU. Before opening the debate, he brought attention to the adverse effects of vaccinations and then rose three principal questions: the risks of large scale distribution of vaccines, the population groups that should be prioritised, and whether the focus should be put on treatment or vaccination. When deciding on an EU strategy and what approach to take, MEP Busoi emphasised the need for solidarity among all the EU Member States.

Luiza Bara, the Head of Policy for EPHA, addressed the audience on behalf of the European Public Health Alliance and welcomed the EC strategy and more specifically its reference to the need for a solidaire approach among Member States. Moreover, she emphasized the need for policy makers to fully involve all health professionals and patient groups in addition to academics and researchers in this debate.

Paul de Raeve, General Secretary of the European Federation of Nurses, expressed EFN members’ concerns with the associated costs of purchasing and delivering vaccination for nurses. Member States will employ nurses in various vaccination clinics and centres to organise, administer, and oversee the vaccination process. Nurses will be utilised in screening for signs of H1N1 presence, public education and overall health promotion activities. "Within a climate of workforce shortage, it is important to plan this massive nurse deployment cautiously in order not to endanger patient safety in hospitals and other healthcare facilities", warned Paul de Raeve. He further explained that although the development of the vaccines has gone through a rigorous process, longer-term effects of the vaccines cannot be known. Therefore, by vaccinating all front line staff, such as nurses, there is a risk that if an adverse event does occur then the healthcare systems’ defencelines will collapse. Mr. de Raeve called for vaccination for nurses to be largely, freely and readily available, but on a voluntary basis.

Dr. Jose M. Martin-Moreno, Policy Associate at the European Observatory on Health Systems and Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Valencia, focused in his presentation on the new virus- main features and consequences-, the room for improvement within the EU, the role of physicians (together with other healthcare professionals) as the natural nexus for stakeholders in health matters and on the need for formulating a united response, as well as some basic proposals. "Frankly, there is ample room for improvement in terms of the level of cohesion displayed by the European Union up to now. For example, the definition of vaccination groups is complex. Thus, some countries have opted for stockpiling vaccines for everybody, while others have been more selective, counting not only on individual immunization, but also adequate herd protection. The problem is that all of this generates fear and mistrust in the population…a stronger effort in coordination and cohesion at a European level needs to be made.", said Dr. Martin-Moreno. When concluding, he also underlined the implications of the Lisbon Treaty on Public Health with the creation of the Fundamental Rights Charter where everyone would be entitled to access to healthcare.

Stephen Gardner, representing the European Vaccine Manufacturers Group (EVM), underlined the commitment of the EVM members to helping address this public health crisis and to working with the European Commission, the WHO and individual Governments, in efforts to reduce the impact and spread of this new influenza virus. Among the challenges the industry is facing in relation to the Influenza A, Mr. Gardner underlined the need to optimise vaccine performance, completing development and licensing process, increasing vaccine capacity and addressing technical issues of the supply and logistics. "Vaccines can only serve people if all partners work together" said Mr. Gardner, emphasising the need to involve in the debate health authorities, regulatory authorities, industry, healthcare professionals, academia and the media.

The presentations were followed by a lively debate, during which Cristian Busoi MEP raised the question whether vaccinations or public health campaigns are more efficient from a cost/benefit perspective. The need for increased cooperation among the different stakeholders in the debate was furthermore underlined.

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MEP Busoi with the speakers