Annual Report 2016

Health in all policies

We voice the needs of people with allergy, asthma and COPD to include their perspective into European policy decision-making.

Research

We contribute to research in Europe as partners in the development of therapies and tools for people with allergies and respiratory diseases. In July we commented the Work Programme 2018-2020 of the EU programme for research Horizon2020 asking for more investment in early diagnosis, prevention, patient stratification, tools for self-management and adherence, patient education and empowerment. The results of the consultation will underpin the final Work Programme. In addition, as the patient representative at the Horizon 2020 Scientific Panel for Health, we co-led the Panel’s workshop on ‘Society’s involvement in Europe’s health research’. This will result in recommendations on involvement, including patients, in setting research agenda and the 2017 research itself. 

Healthcare and medicines

Through our membership in the European Patients’ Forum (EPF), we represent allergy, asthma and COPD within the wider patients’ community. In 2016, we worked on the legislation shaping medical devices, the implementation of new clinical trial rules and discussions on inequalities and chronic diseases. We also brought our patients’ perspective to all meetings of the Patient and Consumers Working Party of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), were we led PCWP topic groups and pooled expert patients for the revision of new medicines. During the year, we also positioned EFA to be an official European Commission stakeholder in the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) expert pool from 2017. 

Food labelling

We presented the needs of food allergy patients’ in a European Commission closed meeting to prepare the future of the “may contain” labelling regulation. Our views were carefully listened to and the European Commission informed they will take them into consideration in the final document to be published soon. 

Tobacco control

Thanks to our panellist presentations at the high level events organized by our partner the European Network for Smoking Prevention (ENSP), we embedded the patients’ perspective to the EU and international political discussions on tobacco control measures.

Air quality

Having air quality linked to respiratory health as a priority when the EU adopted the National Emission Ceilings directive in 2016 was a milestone achievement to which we have intensively campaigned (#cleanairnow). Through our Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) membership, we channelled the views of the asthma and COPD patients, and we conveyed our urgent need to improve indoor air quality to the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the European Union.