EFA members welcome the vision of the European Asthma Research and Innovation Partnership (EARIP) for developing a coordinated agenda for asthma research and innovation that will position Europe as a front runner addressing this major health and societal challenge and which puts patients and the public at the core of attention to ensure that policy makers, health care professionals and industry players hear their perspective.
As signatories, we commit ourselves fully to promoting higher investment in asthma research in Europe, and we recognize the following key areas as having highest priority:
-
Diagnostic
-
Triggers and risk factors for asthma and exacerbations, in particular in severe asthma
-
Asthma management and adherence to treatment
We welcome the development and implementation of regional and national asthma programmes and guidelines in some European Countries which have resulted in improved asthma control and contributed to:
-
Improving patient quality of life
-
Reducing hospitalisation
-
Reducing asthma mortality
-
Reducing sick leave and disability pensions
We welcome the international recognition of the need for:
-
cost-effective and affordable essential medicines and technologies
-
strengthened health systems to provide patient-centred care across all levels of the health system
as highlighted in the WHO 2014 Global Status Report on noncommunicable diseases.
Given these premises, we:
Call upon the European Commission to:
-
Establish a strategic research framework for asthma, so that public and private resources can be focused on research priority areas
-
Invest in asthma research through specific call proposals in the framework of the Horizon 2020 programme to address the key areas identified
-
Invest in the development of new medicines and treatments through specific call for proposals in the framework of the Innovative Medicines Initiative
-
Promote and facilitate the transfer and adaptation of European best practices in developing national/regional asthma programmes in Europe
Call upon Members of the European Parliament to:
-
Encourage the European Commission to support asthma research
-
Support the campaign of EFA and its members to increase investments in asthma in Europe
-
Join the European Parliament Interest Group on Allergy and Asthma
Call upon national governments to:
-
Facilitate EFA members action and advocate towards the European Commission to support asthma research
-
Motivate national funding bodies to increase the national investments in asthma
-
Develop national and regional asthma programmes or guidelines
-
Involve asthma patients in discussions and consultations related to the development of the national strategies
Help us increasing the investments in asthma research and contribute to reach the EARIP goal of reducing asthma deaths in Europe by 25% within ten years and by 50% within 20 years.
Sign the Málaga-London Declaration
