July-August 2010 Issue

EFA successfully launched Call to Action on COPD at the European Parliament

Just after the EU Open Health Forum on the 30th of June, EFA reunited many stakeholders at the European Parliament in Brussels to make the case for strong European action and cooperation to combat Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. The absolute key is to promote early diagnosis. Many of the action points we are asking for in the 7 point Call echo what has been said in the Open Health Forum: there is a need for strong prevention, COPD is an example of cross cutting health issue which also needs to be addressed through research and environment policies. Investing to fight health issues is cost effective: the annual financial burden of COPD amounts toover €50 billion.

Acting now through a coordinated EU strategy to combat chronic respiratory diseases would help reduce these costs dramatically, and improve the quality of life and care for the 44 million of Europeans who currently live with this disease. In the EFA Book on COPD in Europe,which was presented during the event, patients and their associations highlighted the existing shortfalls but also successes in the prevention, diagnosis and care of COPD in 12 European countries. The problems are now identified, and can’t be ignored anymore as prevalence of COPD is still increasing worryingly.

The need for action on COPD was pointed out by speakers from different angles, including a patient and a scientific point of view as well as the perspective from the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Consumers. EFA insists that coordinated action including the EU, Member States and relevant stakeholders rather than dispersed initiatives as it is now the case, is the way forward in successfully combating COPD.

On behalf of EFA, I would like to thank the 45 participants we welcomed at this event, many of whom signed our call to action, for their support. I would also like to thank all the speakers for contributing towards making this event a success, and MEP Catherine Stihler who hosted this event for her dedication in fighting this disease.  EFA has been committed in making COPD a political priority since 2003; we hope our call for action will be heard by the EU institutions and member states.

Marianella Salapatas, EFA President.

EFA News: European and International organisations unite to support EFA Call to Action on COPD

The European Respiratory Society (ERS), the European Lung Foundation (ELF), the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP), the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), the International COPD Coalition (ICC) and the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (ICPRG) supported the Call to Action. In addition, it was signed by MEPs Catherine Stihler and Claude Moraes, and many participants of the event from European and national health organisations also gave their personal support to this call.

In a joint press release, many of the signatory organisations stated their concerns about COPD and highlighted the need for urgent political action.  Professor Siafakas (ERS President), emphasized on the need to improve patient care and for more research, Professor Kai-Hakon Carlsen (ELF Chair) called for actions to raise awareness of the public on this under-recognised disease, Anne Stauffer (HEAL Policy Officer) called for the EU to step up its effort to ensure better air quality, and Larry Grouse (ICC Executive Director) welcomed the call to action as an important part of global effort to make COPD a political priority.

EFA and the signatories of the 7 point Call-to-action urge 1. the EU to make COPD a political priority, 2. to raise awareness of this disease among the public and healthcare professionals, 3. to encourage its early diagnosis, 4. to improve the care and 5. prevention of COPD, 6. improve air quality indoors and out, and 7. to support research.

Press release “European and International Health Organisations unite to call for European action to combat Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)”

EFA News: Open Health Forum 2010, integrating health in all policies

The Open Health Forum on 29th and 30th of June reunited many stakeholders to discuss integration of health in all EU policies. EFA was in the Steering Group of the Forum, alongside with 5 other health NGOs. In his opening speech, EU Health Commissioner John Dalli said"health policy is also social policy; it is environment policy; it is transport policy; it is education policy; it is research policy; it is digital policy; and many other policies”. He insisted that “Investing in health pays off” explaining that health has an important part in the EU2020 Strategy towards sustainable growth. He also emphasized the importance of prevention wishing for a Europe where citizens are “so healthy they do not need that much healthcare”.

During the opening round table the Belgian EUPresidency presented its health priorities and events, and MEP Jo Leinen, chair of the Environment Public Health and Food Safety Committee of the European Parliament, presented the current work of the EP in this field. MEP Alojz Peterle, former Rapporteur on the EUHealth Strategy Together for Healthinsisted there must be health for all and in all policies, and called for better investment in prevention. Andrezj Rys, Director of the Public Health and Risk Assessment Unit in the Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Consumers presented the perspective and cooperation of the European Commission on health issues. Panel members stressed that health is still an underestimated issue and that a more holistic approach is needed to ensure better health in Europe

Source:  Commissioner Dalli’s Opening speech of the Open Health Forum.
Videos and presentations of the Open Health Forum are now available here.

EFA News: Recommendations for better integration of health and environment policies

As announced in our June eZine the Workshop on integrating environment and health towards better health in the Open Health Forum, coordinated by EFA and HEAL was the occasion for the participants to debate and highlight the needs for action in this field. The following recommendations arose from the workshop;

The first recommendation is to support a second EU action plan on health and environment, accompanied by adequate resources. The workshop highlighted the important contribution of the first plan as well as the first Community Strategy on Environment and Health SCALEin tackling the environmental burden of diseases.

The second recommendation is to have greater synergies with the WHO Parma Declarationon improving Children’s Health in which member states committed on environment and health issues, such improving indoor and outdoor air quality.

Increasing participation of Health Community and youth at each level (local, national, EU) for policy making and implementation is also of first importance. Many opportunities for participation were identified during the workshop such as the discussion on a second EU Action Plan on Environment and Health, or ongoing revisions and implementation of key EU environmental legislation and strategies such as the EU Air Quality Directive.

Finally, the workshop recommended ensuring that research in the field of environment and health, in which the European Commission is investing resources since the Sixth EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development, is translated into action.

Workshop policy Recommendation.
Press release: NGOs urge Commission to come forward with a second EU Environment and Health Action Plan

EU Open Health Forum: Health Stakeholders call for action

A draft call for action “Together for Health – Europe 2020 and beyond, what we can do together” was prepared before the Open Health Forum and was distributed to participants, who had the occasion to comment it on the internet. It highlights that ensuring better health for European population is a cornerstone for sustainable economic recovery and growth.

The call to action insists on the need for more investment and measures in prevention and health promotion, for example smoking bans. It also calls for high quality, safe and accessible for all healthcare systems in Europe, investment in innovation and taking into accounts the needs of the ageing population.

Source: Final Conference Resolution

EU news: Belgian EU Presidency of the Council: Health Priorities

From the 1^st of July until the end of the year, Belgium is holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. EFA welcomes the fact that Belgium’s health priorities include the fight against chronic illnesses, including respiratory diseases. More on this follows in our next eZine.

Other priorities include carrying on the work on cross-border healthcare in the EU as well as on the so-called pharmaceutical package, including directives on pharmacovigilance (safety of medicines) and on counterfeit medicines. The Presidency will also focus on professionals from the health sector and determining social factors of health.

Tobacco control is also an issue on the agenda, with preparation and coordination for the fourth session of the Conference of the Parties on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Controlthat will take place 15-20 November in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Programme of the Belgium presidency
Calendar of the Council during Belgium presidency

EFA in meetings in June:

The Global Alliance against Respiratory Diseases Assembly, was held in Toronto, Canada on the 1^st and 2^nd of June. Otto Spranger from the Austrian Lung Association, EFA GARD representative, participated on behalf of EFA.

From the 5 to 9 June EFA President Marianella Salapatas and Board Member Breda Flood participated to the 29^th European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Congress in London and EFA held a stand there.

On the 7 and 8 of July the Directorate General for Research of the European Commission held a workshop on harmonised framework on indoor material labelling schemes in Ispra, Italy. It was followed on the 9^th by Directorate Health and Consumers expert group meeting on indoor air quality. Giorgio Salerni from Federasma participated as a representative for EFA. The aim of this Workshop was to elaborate a harmonized framework of indoor material labelling schemes in Europe. Emissions from construction products can constitute a significant source of indoor pollution; therefore allowing consumer to make more informed choice could have important health benefits.

On the 16^th of June Lina Buzermaniene, EFA Board Member attended the European Medicines Agency Patients and Consumers Working Party meeting in London.

On the 23^rd of June EFA also participated to the European Public Health Alliance and the Royal College of Physicians (UK) event on “Passive smoking & children’s health: New evidence & call for action” at the European Parliament, hosted by MEPs Marina Yannakoudakis and Theodoros Skylakakis. The findings of the report“ Passive smoking and children” by the Royal College of Physicians were presented. The report shows the ill-effects of tobacco exposure on children’s health, as well as its economic burden. Recommendations from the report were also presented, with both measures needed to lower tobacco consumption in young adults and prevention against smoke as well as changing the acceptability of smoking. During the panel discussion it was reminded that according to the latest EU barometer survey on tobacco 38 percent of people still allow smoking in their home.

EPHA and RCP joint press statement: Passive smoking – a major health threat to children

On the 5^th of July, Susanna Palkonen, EFA Executive Officer, attented the kick off Meeting of the Health based Ventilation guidelines for Europe, a new project from EU Public Health Programme in which EFA is a partner. More on this project follows for members.