Asthma care in the EU - a time for change
The International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) has just released a report of the policy roundtable on asthma, which it hosted with UK MEP Liz Lynne on 24 January 2006 in the European Parliament. The discussion, which was attended by EFA (see February ezine 2006) aimed to assess the main deficiencies in current asthma treatment across Europe and investigate EU policy options to ensure adequate doctor and patient information, empowering them to make an informed choice. Amongst the recommendations made by the roundtable was that a wider platform on asthma is needed to define priorities on asthma as regards patient information, management and medication for the next five years, as well as compile documents to illustrate key facts about asthma for EU policy makers and the public Additionally, asthma must be included more prominently both on the EU Public Health website, in the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) and within the newly formed EU Pharmaceutical Forum discussions. Asthma should be made a priority in funding programmes for paediatric medicines and EU Public Health Programmes. As you know, EFA supports and has already been active on many of these points already and we are delighted to see them affirmed here.