Welcome to the May edition of EFA's online newsletter!

Greetings from the EFA Annual General Meeting and Conference in Prague!
The 10th EFA Conference 10-13 May had a record participation of over 500 delegates, with patient representatives and health professionals from 23 countries.
As a novelty, the Public Forum, organised in collaboration with the GA²LEN Global Allergy and Asthma European Network for local patients, attracted more than 200 participants who had the opportunity to talk informally to experts any of their concerns related to allergy, asthma and COPD.
The spirometry and information tent was visited by over 2000 members of the public.
During EFA members' EFA Day, new EFA members introduced their organisations and others presented their successful campaigns and initiatives and discussed challenges.

At the AGM, EFA Annual Report 2005 and strategic priorities for 2006 were approved. I am also happy to introduce and welcome two new EFA board members; Amelia Curwen from the Asthma UK and Nikoleta Grigorova from the Bulgarian Association for Bronchial Asthma. Marianella Salapatas from the Greek ANIKSI, former EFA board secretary was elected as vice-president. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank sincerely Donna Covey from Asthma UK for her time and expertise during her three years in office, who stepped down from the board due to other commitments.

Last but not least, hearty welcome to our new members; Asthme&Allergies from France, Pulmonary Association Heli from Finland, The Netherlands Federation of Asthma and COPD Organisations, Polish Coalition of Allergy, Asthma and COPD Patient Organisations and Swedish Heart and Lung Association.
Thank you for all of you, who took part, supported and helped to organise these events and see you in 2007 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Svein Erik Myrseth, EFA President

EFA members' news: FFAAIR action on COPD

French authorities, together with medical and scientific organisations, medical research, FFAAIR and other patients associations, have defined the goals of a new COPD action program. Since the COPD 2005-2010 program published in November 2005 by French Director General of Health, FFAAIR and patient associations published a reference document setting out the next practical actions for action to assist COPD patients (in French) and FFAAIR underlines the need for COPD information, prevention and diagnosis, as well as relevant and pertinent support for patients. Additionally, contacts and studies are being made by FFAAIR to map the views of COPD patients through their local associations. The aim of this project is to: Acquire a better knowledge on actual situation and needs of the patients; and to Support the construction of a specific associative network in view of their COPD national network.      
For further information contact: Pt FFAAIR J C Roussel president@ffaair.org or Bernard Boucher bb.delegue.ffaair.efa@club-internet.fr

EFA Members' News: World Asthma Day in Kaunas, Lithuania

World Asthma Day on 2 May was celebrated in Kaunas, by a conference “Living with Asthma“  directed at nurses from across the country, tackling both children's and adult asthma symptoms, and issues such as: diagnosis, treatments, psychological issues, quality of life, sports, smoking, and rehabilitation. Additionally there was a practical seminar about using asthma drugs and devices.
To promote awareness of World Asthma Day amongst the general public, children and adult pulmonologists and nurses from Kaunas University Hospital flew big, colourful balloons with words 'World Asthma Day' in front of three largest Kaunas supermarkets (see picture).
Additionally, the Lithuanian Association of Allergic Children Clubs is organizing its Sixth Annual Conference; A Celebration of World Asthma Day and World Allergy Day for Children  on 28 May in Kedainiai. The event is hoped to attract 400-500 allergic children and their parents.

EFA Members' news: World Asthma Day in the UK: "Are you in control of your asthma, or is your asthma in control of you?"

Asthma UK launched the Asthma Control Test? on World Asthma Day. The Test is a 60-second five-point questionnaire to help people really understand how well their asthma is controlled. Just 1 in 5 adults with asthma in the UK currently has their asthma under control.
For further information and to interview a case study, celebrity or asthma nurse, contact the Asthma UK media office on 44 20 7786 4949 or at mediaoffice@asthma.org.uk.

EU news: Update on Seveth Framework Programme for Research (FP7)

As members will know from a communication sent 17 May, the European Parliament (EP) groups, who are giving opinion on the proposal for the FP7 have reached an unofficial agreement on amendments to the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7). EFA are happy that these include the provisions for which we asked for: Translational research in MAJOR diseases, including allergic and respiratory among others; and Clinical research to include allergic and respiratory diseases. The amendments as are due to be voted by the EP next month and we will keep you informed.
For your information: Amendments - EFA memo on FP7 for EFA members 

EU news: Update on the Paediatric Medicine and Community System on Safety of Medicines

In EFA's February ezine, you may remember that we reported EFA and the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) having made comments to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) draft Guideline on conduct of pharmacovigilance for medicines used by the paediatric population outlining the danger of prescribing unlicensed medicines for children. This dossier has progressed: The leading committee in the European Parliament, the Environment Committee report compiled by the rapporteur Francoise Grossetete has been read for a second time and adopted by the committee on 4 May. This includes 20 amendments, including very importantly (Amendment 2) the provision that "Members of the Paediatric Committee should .. not have financial or other interests in the pharmaceutical industry which could affect their impartiality .. and should make an annual declaration of their financial interests."

Additionally, on 12 May 2006, EFA and IPCRG sent a response to the European Commission (EC) consultation on the community system of pharmacovigilance; the process and science of monitoring the safety of medicines and taking action to reduce risks and increase benefits from medicines. The consultation is based on a study conducted for the Commission 'An Assessment of the Community System of Pharmacovigilance' and resulting recommendations.  The system is organized in such as way that all functions and responsibility as well as accountability is shared between Member State competent authorities, the Euroepan Medicines Agency (EMEA) and the European Commission.
EFA and IPCRG's response outlined: the importance of data sources and safety issue detection particularly in view of patients and their rights; Supported the proactive use of legal framework and new legal tools to tackle safety issues; Stressed the importance of a clear decision making process regarding pharmacovigilance and the importance of stakeholder participation both in terms of reporting issues of concern and in terms of disseminating and receiving information on drug safety. EFA and IPCRG also expressed their concern regarding the monitoring of the obligations marketing authorisation holders to monitor drug safety “a policing role“ the need for quality management and improvement.
A plenary vote in the European Parliament is expected on 1 June 2006.
We will keep you informed.

EU news: European Parliament votes to exclude healthcare services from the European Services Directive

On 16 February, the European Parliament voted in plenary session on the European Services Directive, including text stating that the Directive should not apply to "healthcare, whether or not it is provided via healthcare facilities, and regardless of the ways in which it is organised and financed at national level or whether it is public or private". The text takes on board the remarks made in the past months by the EU health community: in particular, more than 40 public health organisations subscribed the European Health Policy Forum recommendations on health services and the internal market. The document called for the exclusion of health services from the scope of the Services Directive, in view of examining these services within the framework of the ongoing debate on Services of General Interest. The text will now be examined by the Council of Ministers: if all amendments are accepted, the amended Directive will be approved and will become legally binding. If the Council rejects any of the amendments added by the Parliament, or further amends the text, the Directive will return to Parliament for a second reading. News courtesy of: EPHA http://www.epha.org/a/2161

Sudden and heavy start for the pollen season in Europe

In the last couple of weeks, pollen-loaded air over large parts of Europe (in particular Central and Northern Europe) has been clearly visible in early morning Meteosat High Resolution Visible (HRV) images as a yellowish haze. Seasonal fires in Russia might be partly to blame, additionally the clear weather conditions and a late start to the pollen season, a wet April, followed by a warm, sunny early May have combined to see birch catkins releasing an enormous amount of pollen grains over just a few days, affecting many allergy sufferers. Also people who normally do not have allergic reactions to pollen have suffered asthma attacks due to heavy birch pollen. Sunday 7 May 2006 was a dreadful day for people in Denmark allergic to birch pollen, the pollen count breaking the country's highest 1993 records. According to the UK's National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit (NPARU), "The pollen count is a measure of the number of pollen grains of a certain type per cubic metre of air sampled, averaged over 24 hours. The reported counts are usually for grass, birch and nettles and refer to the previous 24 hour period up to 9am that day.¦ The pollen count indicates when prophylactic treatment should be started and when medication can be stopped at the end of the season. The daily pollen forecasts can be used to warn sufferers of adverse conditions so that they can modify their activities and take medication as required."  The European Pollen information website provides national alerts on the various pollen counts across Europe.

WHO publishes the 2005 European Health Report

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe has published the European Health Report 2005 'Public Health Action for Healthier Children and Populations'. The report summarises the major public health issues facing the European region, and in particular children, and describes effective policy responses to face these challenges. COPD features as one of the seven leading diseases cited in the report. News courtesy of: ENSP www.ensp.org

Tobacco news: European Commission Ammends Colour Photograph Decision

On 12 April 2006 the European Commission's Directorate General for Health published  Decision amending Commission Decision C(2005) concerning the size and rendering of colour photographs or other illustrations on tobacco product packaging, warning about the negative health effects of smoking. The possibility of Member States either supplementing or alternating colour photographs and written warnings on tobacco product packaging was taken by a European Commission Decision in 2003 with effect from 2004, though the creation of a library of approved images and technical amendments such as this one show that this process has taken longer than expected.

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