Health
1 in 3 children live in unhealthy homes, warns ‘alarming’ report
A third of European children live in damp, cold, dark or noisy homes, according to new findings released last week. Portugal is the worst offender in the EU, with one in two kids exposed to unhealthy conditions.
Andriukaitis: 100-year old production models cannot achieve food sustainability
According to the UN, the amount of food produced globally needs to double to feed a rising world population. Policymakers are poring over ways to ensure the sustainability of food systems while emerging new technologies, promising to tackle climate change, still face resistance.
Healthy homes: ‘The biggest health and business opportunity of a lifetime’
Indoor environment quality and healthy homes play an ever more substantial role in human wellbeing, according to new research unveiled at a high-level event last week (10 October).
EU cancer plan will succeed if the right priorities are identified, official says
The much-awaited EU cancer plan will first have to identify specific needs at national level, seek funding and then be closely monitored in order to be successful, a high-ranking EU official has told EURACTIV.com.
Germany is a ‘developing country’ when it comes to tobacco regulation, expert says
While Germany is being branded a 'developing country' in terms of tobacco regulation, experts warn that a new wave of cancer illnesses may be related to the consumption of E-cigarettes. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Climate change leads to spread of Pneumonia-causing bacteria, expert says
A warmer climate and Europe's ageing population create a favourable breeding ground for legionella bacteria, which cause a type of pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease, Professor Martin Exner said in an interview.
Expert: Complex vaccines ecosystem needs an EU-wide platform
A new EU-wide platform for vaccines, which will bring together all different stakeholders, is needed in order to identify the gaps and fix the problems of the vaccines ecosystem’s complexity, Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, a health expert, told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Outgoing Commissioner Andriukaitis suggests disbanding EU alcohol forum
The EU Alcohol and Health Forum (EAHF), which aims to tackle alcohol-related harm, should come to an end because its stakeholders have not been able to find common ground, the outgoing EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis has said.
Healthy vaccines ecosystem: A tough equation to solve
In a fragmented EU market, the vaccines ecosystem is complex and in order for it to be “healthy” all relevant stakeholders should be taken into account, Professor Panos Kanavos, an associate professor at LSE, told EURACTIV.com.
Le Pen’s Bulgarian ally under the spotlight for cross-border medicine trafficking
Vesselin Mareshki gained international prominence when French far-right leader Marine le Pen chose him as her political ally in Bulgaria. But things started to go wrong when Mareshki lost the European elections in May. Now, judges have recognised him as the mastermind of a cross-border network of medicine traffickers.
Germany and Netherlands sign joint declaration of intent on energy transition
Following the Dutch government's Berlin visit on Wednesday (2 October), Germany and the Netherlands signed a joint declaration of intent laying out a common energy transition plan, as well as closer cooperation in the areas of defence and asylum policy. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Alcohol could cause new EU health chief headache
The European spirits industry has called on Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner-designate for health, to revive the European Alcohol and Health Forum, which has been inactive since 2015 after twenty public health NGOs decided to pull out.
Trees for goals: the teenager playing to end deforestation
Lesein, a 15-year-old Kenyan, is one of the thousands of youngsters around the globe who have joined Greta Thunberg in her fight against climate change. He has been planting trees for every goal he scores since 2018, as his way of contributing to the fight.
Lyon football club attempts to reconcile sport with environment
Olympique Lyonnais' newly-built OL City complex has been designed to be more environmentally friendly, though it initially attracted criticism for requiring a longer commute. EURACTIV France reports.
Investigative report: Vampires without borders
A controversial alternative medicine that treats cancer patients by making them drink their own blood was denounced in Germany years ago. But in Bulgaria, a court ruled that the treatment is scientifically sound, and children are being sent to Germany for treatment, with expenses reimbursed by the state.
Measles hit Zagreb as social media join fight against anti-vaccination
Seven people have been diagnosed with measles in Zagreb in the past two weeks, raising concerns that more cases of this highly contagious virus may occur in light of the rising anti-vaccination campaigns.
Fans back call for phasing out single-use plastics from UK stadiums
A survey conducted by YouGov shows football fans support for environmental NGOs' call to clubs in the UK top four divisions to eliminate single-use plastics from their stadiums.
Tens of thousands march for ban on abortions in Slovakia
Tens of thousands marched in Slovakia's capital on Sunday (22 September) calling for a total ban on abortions in the predominantly Catholic central European country.
Eastern Europe diversity should be considered in EU-wide cancer plan
Having a pan-European cancer control plan is crucial, but some flexibility should be granted to member states in choosing which aspect to prioritise within the framework, said Linda Gibbs from Pfizer Oncology in an interview with EURACTIV.com.
Center-right MEPs call for special EU Parliament committee on cancer
The European People’s Party (EPP), the biggest political group in the EU assembly, will ask for the creation of a special parliamentary committee to help formulate a new EU-wide plan to combat cancer. EURACTIV.com and EURACTIV.cz report from Strasbourg.
How patients’ involvement brings quality to cancer care and policymaking
Medical experts and stakeholders from patient advocacy groups are keen to point out how crucial it is to consider patients’ voice as an added value when conducting cancer clinical trials, whatever policy on cancer, national or EU-wide, will eventually be put together.
Ukraine under EU pressure to criminalise tobacco smuggling
The European Union is stepping up the pressure on Kyiv to take a firmer stance on tobacco smuggling and criminalise it in line with the country’s commitments under the terms of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, EURACTIV has learnt.
Health expert: Cancer control plans must be implemented
The governments should take full responsibility for the implementation of national cancer plans, which are a commitment toward people and not just a piece of paper, health expert Dr Tit Albreht told EURACTIV.com in an interview.