Following the #EU4Health campaign, led by EPHA and EPF, on November 29 th the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Associations (EFPIA) organised an EU Health Summit to discuss with health stakeholders what would be a shared vision for health. High level speakers presented their views on how Europe could develop and take the lead in areas such as research and innovation, health data and digital health, healthcare organisation and financing and most importantly, health in all policies.
Mark Pearson, Deputy Director of Employment, Labour and Social Affairs at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) provided a snapshot of the current health status in Europe, from investment to costs, from prevention to chronic disease. He also mentioned the toll of chronic respiratory diseases, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in terms of avoidable hospital admissions (the leading cause of extra bed day expenditure in Europe) and disease progression.
A few months before the EU elections in May 2019, this event was timely to assess the support current Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) could provide to advance health. The speakers Cristian Silviu Bușoi (Romania, EPP) Lieve Wierinck (Belgium, ALDE) and, Tiemo Wölken (Germany, S&D) spoke about current EU legislation that affects health and their commitment to include health in all policies. In this the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee at the European Parliament (ENVI) takes efforts to have an increased budget for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework, the EU budget.
For more information about the EU Health Summit please visit their website.