EPHA Briefing Notes

In November 2007, DG SANCO published an online consultation on a document called Future Challenges 2009-2014, with a deadline of 31 December 2007. Hereby it is presented EPHA response to this publication. The Future Challenges 2009-2014 launched by DG SANCO in November 2007 followed the publication of the EU Health Strategy for 2008-2013. Since a general overview of both publications did not demonstrate a consistent approach, EPHA response focused on those evident discrepancies. (...)

In March 2000 at the European Council in Lisbon, European Member States adopted a new method to co-ordinate their policies. This new model known as the ’Open Method of Coordination’ (OMC), is based on a process of policy exchanges and mutual learning. The OMC has been used since 2006 in the area of long term care. The European Commission wants to extend this voluntary tool to other social and health topics, such as nutrition, alcohol, and the achievement of the objectives of (...)

On January 2006 the Indian authorities rejected an application to patent filed by Novartis on the grounds that the drug was a new form of an old drug, and therefore was not patentable under Indian law. In other countries where Novartis has a patent, the drug is sold at $2,600 per patient per month. In India, generic versions of this drug are available for less than $200 per patient per month. Novartis is therefore trying to have the patent decision overturned so that it can sell the drug (...)

In our increasingly interconnected world international travel is more common for more people and over longer distances, leading to greater concerns over the threats posed by infectious disease outbreaks. There has long been recognition of the need to put in-place a systematic approach for authorities to respond to such in the form of agreements on international cooperation on infectious diseases. These agreements have evolved from being rather straightforward and covering a limited number (...)

On 8 December 2005, the Commission adopted a Green Paper entitled "Promoting healthy diets and physical activity: a European dimension for the prevention of overweight, obesity and chronic diseases". The Commission’s Green Paper on the promotion of healthy diets and physical activity is the first step in an extensive public consultation on how to reduce and to prevent the rising levels of obesity and associated chronic diseases in the European Union (EU). In order to prepare its (...)

Mental health problems constitute the greatest burden of disease after cardiovascular diseases in Europe. One in four Europeans will experience mental ill health issue at some time in their lives and more people commit suicide in the EU than suffer car accidents or murder. However, service provision is often inadequate and does not give people the help that they need. The economic cost of mental health problems in the EU is conservatively estimated to be 3-4% of the gross national product (...)

Human rights and fundamental rights and the protection of these rights have become a focal point of attention of society today. This is especially true for the European Union which has not only created the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union but has also proposed the creation of an EU agency for fundamental rights. EPHA has prepared a briefing which explores the differences between human rights and fundamental rights, and which highlights the major international and EU (...)

The Lisbon Strategy, launched in 2000, is becoming an increasingly important part of the EU agenda. Revitalising the strategy has been prioritised by Member States and within the new Commission team, the job of over-seeing the Lisbon strategy will be the responsibility of the President. In response to a request from EPHA members, the Secretariat have developed a briefing note to explain the key elements of the Lisbon Strategy and the policy processes associated with Lisbon. Recent (...)

A flu pandemic is the world’s worst nightmare. Influenza is the infectious disease which could cause a global health emergency with the potential of economic collapse and public unrest. Pandemics are a fact in human history. In the last century there were three major flu pandemics. Most famously the Spanish flu of 1918-19 killed up to 40 million people, more than the devastating first world war. The South East Asia flu pandemic of 1957 resulted in an estimated 2 million dead and (...)

The EU has a number of policies designed to reduce disparities across the Union and to promote greater economic, social and territorial cohesion. Financial support is targeted at the national level through the Cohesion Fund, and the regional level through four Structural funds. In both cases, EU money is directed towards the poorest and most disadvantaged countries or regions. All structural funds are governed by a specific EU Regulation, only one of which - the ERDF Regulation - (...)