DG SANCO is launching a Taskforce on rare diseases in Luxembourg on 21 January 2004 to outline the results of the former EU Rare Diseases Programme and to assess the status of rare diseases in the EU Public Health Programme (2003 - 2008). The taskforce is an output of the Morbidity and Mortality Working Party convened by DG SANCO.
The Taskforce consists of experts from the WHO, EU Member States (existing and CEE accession countries), DG Research, EMEA and Eurostat. Additional members include project leaders from previous EU funded projects on rare diseases and those recently awarded contracts through the first Call for proposals of the Public Health Programme.
The mandate for the taskforce is to
improve information exchange between relevant authorities
to contribute to accurate and relevant indicators to a harmonised EU health data system
to assist the Commission in setting priorities for information and knowledge on major and rare diseases.
