Newsletter April 2009

Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross-border Healthcare

The proposal for a Directive on patients’ rights regarding cross-border healthcare was released on 2 July 2008. With the proposal, the Commission will try to create legal certainty on this issue and possibly avoid new court cases because the EU Treaty gives individual patients the right to seek healthcare in other Member States. In its meeting on 2 December 2009, the Council failed to reach an agreement on the Directive. **Update 2 December 2009** The Council fails to reach agreement (...)

**Update**Novel Influenza A/H1N1 (Swine Flu) Pandemic

According to figures released by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2005 and February 2009 a total of 12 cases of Swine Influenza were reported across 10 states in the US. However in recent weeks, thousands of cases have been confirmed and the world is bracing itself for an imminent pandemic. Margaret Chan (WHO, Director General) has raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to 6 classifying the current outbreak as the first pandemic for 41 (...)

Patients’ Rights Directive Reports

On 23 April 2009 a report on the Patients’ Rights Directive was adopted in Plenary at the European Parliament and on 9 June the EPSCO discussed a compromised text on the Patients’ Rights Directive. **Update 9 June 2009** EPSCO Council discusses Czech presidency compromised text The Patients Rights Directive compromise text shows a large swing towards subsidiarity and Member States (MS) were keen to ensure national competency in organising their health systems. MS also wanted (...)

EPHA attends the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health

On 3 April 2009, the members of the Platform convened to discuss two main issues- the monitoring of the members’ commitments to the Platform and the reformulation of food products. In addition, a new case study on the impact of the European Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, developed by the IESE Business School in Barcelona, was presented. Members’ Commitments and Reporting The guidelines for reporting and submitting commitments has been updated for (...)

A strong call for antibiotic stewardship

A strong call for antibiotic stewardship and antimicrobial management programmes was issued by experts and policy makers at the Ministerial conference in Prague on 16-17 April 2009 attended by EPHA. Ministers and experts called for urgent action to stop growing antibiotic resistance which cuts the clinical effectiveness of medicines and increases the level of healthcare associated infections. To read the full report please click (...)

Newsletter April 2009

Welcome to the April 2009 Newsletter Towards the end of April all eyes were on Mexico where it was reported that an influenza outbreak had the potential to ignite a pandemic. With the global capacity for a swift and efficient reaction to the health threat under scrutiny, attention in Brussels has focussed on Europe’s role in minimising the severity of the outbreak and its ability to respond to such a health threat in a united and coordinated manner. Whilst the severity of the (...)

Secretariat News April 2009

EPHA working meetings On 1 and 2 April, EPHA was represented at the WHO Meeting on "Health in times of global economic crisis: implications for the WHO European Region". For more information, please click here. On 20 April, EPHA attended the Working Group of the Civil Society Contact Group to prepare an exhibition at the European Parliament in October 2009 in order for newly elected MEPs to meet civil society organisations and find out more about their work. For further information, (...)

Conference on Patient Mobility Directive: Advance or Threat?

The Madariaga College of Europe Foundation organised a conference on patient mobility on 29 April 2009. Robert Madelin, Director General of DG SANCO, and Karsten Uno Petersen, Committee of the Region’s Rapporteur on the draft on cross-border healthcare exchanged their views about the draft proposal. Background On 2 July 2008, as part of the Renewed Social Agenda, the Commission adopted a draft Directive on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, which (...)

Enhancing the EU’s resilience to deal with climate change

A new White Paper published by the European Commission on adapting to climate change presents a framework for action to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on the European population and ecosystems. Health and social policies are mentioned specifically in the document. An accompanying document outlines the main issues relating to human health and describes actions that are currently being undertaken and outlines future steps for action at Community and Member State level. (...)

World Health Day 2009 - Better health system responses to disasters

On 7 April 2009, the World Health Day focused on the safety of health facilities and the readiness of health workers who treat those affected by emergencies. Following a number of recent disasters around the world, this year’s focus seems particularly fitting. By ensuring preparedness, it will be possible to reduce the impact of natural and man-made hazards on life, health, property, and environment. World Health Day 2009 - Safety of health facilities World Health Day 2009 focused (...)