Research

[Update] European Parliament’s Industry and Employment Committees vote on the General Data Protection Regulation

The European Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee voted on 20 February to adopt an opinion on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation. The Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Committee also voted the following day to adopt their own opinion. A total of four committees have now submitted opinions to the Rapporteur, including the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and Legal Affairs committees. The ITRE Committee opinion, drafted by MEP Sean (...)

[EPHA Recommendations] Public health priorities towards Horizon 2020

Negotiations among EU Institutions are about to begin on the future research programme after the adoption of the partial general approach by the Competitiveness Council and the report by the Industry, Research and Enegery Committee in the Parliament. EPHA highlights seven ways in which EU leaders can ensure that investing research and innovation brings the greatest possible advancements in health and science, while creating accessible public goods. In its policy document, EPHA provides (...)

[Assessment] Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative: European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion

Within the context of a comprehensive assessment of the state of play of the Europe 2020 strategy and its flagship initiatives, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) has started preparing a survey on the ’European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion’, as seen from a regional perspective. The result of this survey will feed into a Conference on the same topic that the CoR will hold on 29 May 2013 in Brussels. The Conference ’European platform against poverty’ (...)

[Special Summary] EU General Data Protection Regulation and Health Research

On 17 December 2012, the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) released its draft report on the European Commission’s proposal for a regulation on the processing and free movement of personal data. The proposal and the amendments offered in the draft report have implications for a number of elements of health, inlcuding health research. This article takes a closer look at the potential effects of the new legislation for research (...)

The Lancet to launch Europe series on determinants of population health and effects of health policy

In recent years the Lancet, a world-class medical journal, has drawn attention to important developments in health and health policy taking place in parts of the world that would otherwise risk being overlooked, publishing a series of articles that examine, in depth, what is happening in countries such as China, Mexico, Brazil and Japan. Now, it is coming home. Looking at what is happening on its own doorstep, in the continent of Europe, a series of articles will be undertaken in (...)

The uncertain health impacts of climate change - a new study in the Netherlands

A new study commissioned by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and carried out by the Copernicus Institute at Utrecht University assesses the potential impacts of climate change on human health in the Netherlands. The researchers asked health experts to rate the level of uncertainty attached to different health impacts of climate change. As a result, heat-related deaths and vector-borne diseases were indicated as particularly relevant to climate change adaptation. What was the (...)

European doctors send open letter on the effects of austerity on the health of people

On January 31, doctors from Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Greece sent an open letter to European political leaders and health authorities in which they deplore the effects that financial and economic decisions adopted as a response to the economic crisis are having on the health of the populations of their countries. They call on immediate action to reverse this situation. In each of the countries the letter has been signed by doctors in leading positions including the presidents of (...)

Roundtable on Clinical Trials

Hosted by the European Policy Centre (EPC), this EPC’s Coalition for Health, Ethics and Society (CHES) roundtable on the revision of the Clinical Trials legislation provided an opportunity for EPHA to present its Position on the policy dossier and exchange views with stakeholders including representatives of the European Commission, industry and an NGO representing older people. The roundtable was kicked off by Stefano Soro, Head of unit for Medicinal Products – quality, safety (...)

Revised Digital Agenda aims to boost economic growth and innovation

Following a comprehensive policy review, the European Commission published an updated Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE) on 18 December, which identifies seven new key areas to stimulate the conditions for creating growth and jobs in Europe. The focus is largely economic and eInclusion is not very pronounced, however it is hoped that in combination with the existing goals they can contribute to bridging the digital divide, especially for vulnerable groups and patients less likely or able to (...)

Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee releases opinion on proposed Data Protection Regulation

The European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee released its opinion on the proposed Data Protection Regulation on 23 January 2013. The opinion highlights the proposal’s potential for enhancing the internal market and creating a level playing field for businesses in the EU. The rapporteur - MEP Lara Comi (EPP, Italy) - focused on the definitions within the proposed Regulation, the rights of the data subject, the obligations of data controllers (...)