IPCRG and EFA submit comments to EMEA consultation
On 19 January 2006, EFA and the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) submitted comments to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) draft “Guideline...
EFA calls on MEPs to prioritize allergy, asthma and COPD
On Wednesday 22 February, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee is due to vote on the European Commission Proposal for the EU 7th Framework...
Welcome to the February edition of the EFA online newsletter
Thank you very much to those of you who responded to our Call for News this month and we are delighted to be including two articles in this month's bulletin...
Smoking in the workplace banned in Belgium
As from 1 January 2006, smoking is banned in all enclosed workplaces under the employer’s authority and to which workers have access (workplaces and...
Disappointment for Environment Campaigners
The European Commission published its review of the Sustainable Development Strategy which was greeted with disappointment for its lack of ambition and...
New Austrian EU Presidency Work Programme
At the end of December the Austrian foreign minister Ursula Plassnik indicated that her country's incoming six-month EU presidency will not push for the...
Implementation of the EU Action Plan on Environment & Health
The implementation of the EU Action Plan on Environment and Health 2004-2010 is moving forward with the publication of six working papers by the Commission...
EU Commission invites group to join Pharmaceutical Forum
The European Patients’ Forum (EPF) has been invited to be a member of the Pharmaceutical Forum, launched by the European Commission (DG Enterprise and...
Introducing EuroPrevall
EFA is participating in EuroPrevall (Prevalence, Cost and Basis of Food Allergy in Europe), that draws attention to the 11-26 million people in Europe...
Welcome to the January edition of the EFA online newsletter!
We would like to wish you all the very best for 2006. On 1 January 2006, you may be interested to know that the Austrian government took over the EU presidency...
Report discredits groups due to pharmaceutical funding
A Dutch-based non-profit organization called 'Health Action International' (HAI) has produced a report in July 2005 entitled, 'Does the European patients'...
Belgium implements picture warnings on cigarette packs
Picture warnings will appear on all cigarette packs in Belgium by World No Tobacco Day 31 May 2007. This news was published in the Belgian Official Journal...
Patient Conference on Stem Cells
Stem cells are thought hold the potential for new therapies. A European conference is being held in Brussels focussing, for the first time, on what patient...
The State of the Environment in Europe: New EEA report
The European Environment Agency in Copenhagen have just released an enlightening report on 'The European environment - State and outlook 2005' that provides...
EU Council reaches agreement on EU Paediatric Regulations
In their 9 December 2005 meeting, European Health Ministers reached political agreement on a draft European Parliament and Council Regulation on medicinal...
Debate on EU Air Pollution
A public debate on the ‘EU Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution’ (See: October ezine) took place in the European Council under the UK Presidency on 2...
Welcome to the December edition of the EFA ezine
Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Christmas season and a happy and healthy new year 2006 from myself and everyone in the EFA Board...
EU action to tackle health inequalities
UK Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt, speaking at the Tackling Health Inequalities - Governing for Health Summit in London on 17 October 2005,...
Renovated allergy and tobacco literature library re-opened
EFA members FARES and Prevention des Allergies (PA) re-launched their Brussels library on allergic diseases and tobacco control, which is open to the public
(For...
New reports on passive smoking
On 29 March 2004, Ireland became the first country to ban smoking in indoor workplaces. The effectiveness of this major public health initiative on exposure...