Resounding success for EAPM spherical desk
Yesterday (17 December) EAPM performed a really profitable digital spherical desk, ‘Ahead along with innovation: Understanding the necessity and framing the dialogue for Serology testing for SARS-CoV-2’. Comprising notable stakeholders and keynote audio system from throughout the well being spectrum, the target of the spherical desk was to evaluate the elements, perceive the necessity and body the dialogue for Serology testing for SARS-CoV-2 at a rustic stage by participating with consultants.
Speaker included Bettina Borisch, Government Director World Federation of Public Well being Associations (WFPHA) (10 Minutes); Vicki Indenbaum, Laboratory knowledgeable engaged on sero-epidemiological Research, World Well being Organisation (10 minutes); Charles Worth, Well being safety and vaccination Unit, European Fee; Stefania Boccia, Professor, Division of Well being Sciences and Public Well being, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore & Jean-Charles Clouet, Siemens
The spherical desk concluded {that a} key audience is decision-making (public well being professionals, public well being institutes, medical authorities as WHO Europe, and EMA) in order to grasp the obstacles and enablers in order that serology testing in vaccination surveillance methods might be adopted.
EU4Health: MEPs attain cope with Council
The brand new EU well being programme, EU4Health, value €5.1 billion, will assist to repair shortcomings uncovered by COVID-19 and increase high quality and resilience of EU well being methods. Parliament negotiators agreed on a cope with member states to considerably step up the EU’s motion within the well being sector by a devoted EU4Health Programm” as a part of the EU’s lately agreed long-term finances.
The brand new programme will help actions in areas the place the EU’s contribution will clearly be precious, put money into well being promotion and illness prevention measures and put together European well being methods to face future well being threats. The COVID-19 disaster has highlighted many weaknesses in nationwide well being methods together with their dependence on non-EU nations to produce medicines, medical units in addition to private protecting tools.
The programme will subsequently help actions, which foster the manufacturing, procurement and administration of such crisis-relevant merchandise within the EU in an effort to make them extra accessible and inexpensive. Actions to develop medicinal merchandise and medical units which are much less dangerous for the surroundings are additionally eligible.
Well being high of the invoice for incoming Portuguese EU Presidency
Portugal is declaring as its goals serving to to shift Europe out of the coronavirus and an bold broader programme on well being, based on senior diplomat João Lança. Bettering entry to medicines; reinforcing the EU’s means to answer crises; and championing digital well being would be the nation’s three major approaches, in addition to making ahead progress on the European Well being Union.
Vaccination campaigns start throughout EU
Italy, Spain, Germany, Malta, Portugal and various different EU nations are set to start their vaccination campaigns earlier than the brand new yr, on 27 December, after the regional drug regulator accelerated its approval course of following the launch of immunization campaigns in america and Britain. The European Medicines Company (EMA) stated an knowledgeable panel would convene on Monday 21 December to judge the vaccine made by US firm Pfizer and German associate BioNTech.
Whereas EMA’s mandate is to subject suggestions on new medical therapies, the European Fee has the ultimate say on approval and sometimes follows EMA’s recommendation. EMA stated its knowledgeable assembly was introduced ahead after the businesses had supplied extra knowledge, as requested, and the EU Fee would fast-track its procedures to rule on approval “inside days”.
Germany ought to begin giving coronavirus photographs 24 to 72 hours after the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine will get EU approval and will start as quickly as Christmas, Well being Minister Jens Spahn stated. “On 27, 28 and 29 December vaccination will begin throughout the EU,” Fee President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted. Nevertheless, the Dutch authorities is going through criticism as a result of it nonetheless hasn’t drawn up its vaccination plan. Well being Minister Hugo de Jonge stated the nation’s vaccinations will start on 8 January.
Merkel satisfied of want for a European Well being Union
The European Council welcomed the optimistic bulletins on the event of efficient vaccines in opposition to COVID-19 and the conclusion of advance buy agreements by the Fee. German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that co-operation has improved because the begin of the pandemic and that she was satisfied of the necessity for a future European Well being Union.Well being has at all times been an space that has been jealously guarded by EU member states. Whereas there has at all times been a point of cooperation between states on this subject, the pandemic demonstrated how the EU might assist strengthen nationwide responses.
The EU will now take ahead proposals for a Well being Union.The President of the European Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that the EU was working full pace on vaccine approval. Nevertheless, she added that vaccinations and never vaccines saved lives and he or she referred to as on all nations to finalize their preparations for the well timed deployment and distribution of vaccines, together with the event of nationwide vaccination methods, to make sure that vaccines are made accessible to folks within the EU in good time and in a co-ordinated method.
Gene remedy
And for many who need some wonderful further studying over the festive season, EAPM has launched a paper on gene remedy, primarily based on its latest coverage dialogue, ‘Propelling Well being Care with Superior Remedy Medicinal Merchandise’. The paper is accessible right here, and it covers particular suggestions for all stakeholders, starting from early dialogue on potential merchandise, linking of medical knowledge, and affected person registries or standardization of management frameworks, to a complete method to proof technology, evaluation, pricing, and fee for Superior Remedy Medicinal Merchandise (ATMPs).
Italy prepares for Christmas lockdown
Italy is on the brink of impose one other set of restrictive measures to use over the Christmas break, Italian media studies. Whereas the precise guidelines are nonetheless being debated, the concept can be to use a uniform “purple zone” over your entire nation and prohibit journey between areas. Some ministers are pushing for an excellent harder line.
Regional Affairs Minister Francesco Boccia says everybody ought to should spend Christmas “of their home” based on La Repubblica. Ministers had been on account of meet later at present (18 December) and the official textual content of the foundations is anticipated to be printed tonight.
UK and EU agree deal on reciprocal well being remedy in occasion of Brexit talks failure
Current EU reciprocal health-care preparations are tied to freedom of motion, and supply residents of EU and EEA nations, in addition to Switzerland, with the power to entry well being and social care companies whereas in one other of these nations. Care accessed by these schemes is supplied on the identical phrases as it might be for a resident of the nation offering the remedy, with its value met by the recipient’s dwelling nation. Brexit might result in vital modifications within the UK’s present reciprocal healthcare preparations with the EU.
This is not going to simply have an effect on entry to look after UK, EU and EEA residents, but it surely might additionally considerably enhance stress on well being and social care companies and their funding. Nevertheless, underneath a deal introduced Thursday (17 December), Britain and the EU agreed a brief, time-limited deal focused at sufferers who want common remedy for power circumstances. It’s meant to stop disruption to therapies corresponding to oxygen remedy or chemotherapy. The settlement, masking the European Financial Space and Switzerland, will final for a yr, masking journey between 1 January and 31 December 2021.
And that’s all the pieces from EAPM for this week – do test our gene remedy paper, accessible right here, have a superb, protected weekend, and see you subsequent week for the final EAPM updates of 2020.