Health
EU parliament demands progress in ensuring women’s sexual reproductive health
The European Parliament voted in favour of a resolution on sexual reproductive health and rights of women on Thursday (24 June), calling on member states to ensure access to abortion, contraception and sexuality education.
Commission: burden of levelling kidney treatment access falls mainly on member states
While inequalities across the EU when it comes to kidney disease treatments are well-known by the European Commission, the ball is ultimately in member states' courts when it comes to expanding access, according to health stakeholders.
Ireland’s green light for medical cannabis and calls to ban AI face recognition
This week our podcast focuses on a milestone move by Ireland: approving medical cannabis prescriptions and giving patients the right to have access to medical cannabis and be reimbursed for it. To hear more on that story, we spoke with EURACTIV’s Agrifood and health reporter, Natasha Foote.
The Brief, powered by Martens Centre – Football in the time of COVID
The idea to have a continent-wide Euro 2020 was a romantic idea when it was first proposed in the salubrious days of 2012. But to plough ahead with it in 2021 – as national authorities are scrambling to prevent COVID variants from spreading – smacks of pig-headedness.OpinionPromoted content
Transforming healthcare: do cell and gene therapies hold the key?
Cell and gene therapies (CGTs), also classified as Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), have been hailed as revolutionary, but the path towards realising their potential has also seen pitfalls and disappointments along the way since the first attempts some decades ago.
COVID eases but US won’t reciprocate EU in opening borders
As the COVID pandemic recedes dramatically in the West, Europe is opening its doors to Americans – but the reverse is not holding true, with the United States not budging on restrictions imposed 15 months ago.OpinionPromoted content
Catalysing collaborative efforts for healthy people on a healthy planet
Human health and environmental health are inextricably linked. Healthy people need a healthy planet.
Spain to end obligatory mask-wearing outdoors before end of June
Spain is set to lift the mandatory use of face masks in outdoor spaces in Spain on 26 June, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez telling an economics forum in Barcelona that his government will formalise the rule change in a cabinet meeting. EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported.
The Brief, powered by ITI – Defeat in vaccine victory
In the innocent pre-pandemic world, who would have imagined that the EU would one day sue a pharmaceutical giant for not delivering on a contract for 300 million vaccine doses?
Europe’s ‘decade of the kidney’
From improving the availability of all treatment options to the development of home therapy and telemedicine, there are many challenges that need to be addressed by the end of the decade to better the lives of chronic kidney disease patients....
Patient autonomy, education must be priorities for tackling kidney disease
With incidences of kidney disease predicted to soar in the next decade, health stakeholders are calling for more efforts to ensure patient autonomy and invest in training for both practitioners and patients.
Lisbon residents confined to region at weekends as COVID spikes
Residents of the Lisbon region will not be allowed to leave the area at weekends as authorities scramble to control a spike in COVID-19 infections, the government said on Thursday (17 June).
Scotch but no bourbon: UK-US trade truce gives dram of hope to drinks industry
The drinks industry welcomed a trade truce between Britain and United States that saw tariffs removed on Scotch whisky and most other spirits, although they called for further efforts to remove the last export duties on American whiskey.
Disneyland Paris reopens, but Mickey Mouse won’t give hugs
The Disneyland Paris theme park opened to visitors on Thursday (17 June) after being shuttered for nearly eight months during the pandemic, but safety measures were in force to stop the virus spreading.
Ireland gives green light to medical cannabis prescriptions in ‘milestone’ move
Patients in Ireland will now for the first time be able to get medical cannabis via prescription, in what has been described as a “milestone” move expected to bring hope to many families, although barriers to access medical cannabis still remain. VideoPromoted content
Good Off-Label Use Practice of Medicines
Before a drug makes it onto the market it is vigorously tested and needs to be authorized, either by a national competent authority or EMA, the European Medicines Agency. All the information on when a medicinal product can and cannot...
Spain expected to abolish mandatory outdoor mask-wearing
Face masks worn in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus may “soon” become something of the past in public spaces, Spain’s socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Wednesday. EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported.OpinionPromoted content
Why the unmet needs of Sickle Cell Disease communities must be recognised
Under the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals, European countries have committed to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by one third, and to promote mental health and well-being, by 2030. Moreover, under the European Commission’s EU Pharma Strategy, addressing unmet need in rare disease is a priority.
London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam are most eco-friendly sports cities in Europe
A recent Reebok study has ranked the most eco-friendly cities for practising sports, with London, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam coming out on top in Europe, and France trailing behind in 19th place.
Social media challenge urges French athletes to be more green
Former rugby player and founder of the Fair Play For Planet label Julien Pierre has launched a challenge to film himself on social networks collecting waste or cycling to the stadium as part of the #FPFP challenge.
COVID-19 travel certificate rolled out in Belgium
A COVID-19 travel certificate expected to greatly simplify travel within the EU has been made available in Belgium from Wednesday (16 June), the country’s authorities confirmed.
The untapped potential of data-driven healthcare
The COVID pandemic has been a wakeup call on the need to share healthcare data in a commonly usable format. The European Health Data Space would boost health research and underpin the development of personalized medical treatments, says Padraic Ward.
Spanish immunologist: variants may need third vaccine dose
Spanish immunologist Carmen Álvarez-Domínguez has warned that the COVID-19 vaccines available in Spain and other EU countries could adapt to new variants, potentially necessitating a third dose in 2022, EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported.