About: Hepatitis
Commission sees biotech as ‘integral part’ of EU healthcare
Biotechnology-derived medicinal products are fully part of EU healthcare but there are still many unknowns which call for adequate controls, the European Commission told EURACTIV.
Health matters should supersede European bureaucracy
European red tape should not be an obstacle to effective healthcare. For patients with diseases like sarcoma, waiting means suffering and often avoidable death, writes Marlene Mizzi.
How Italy and France take on rare sarcoma cancers
EU member states are exploring ways to effectively tackle the rising occurrence and complex nature of rare cancers known as sarcomas.
Complex sarcoma cancer needs an overall strategy, report says
The diverse nature of rare cancers like sarcomas poses severe challenges to the medical community and policy-makers who need to seek a holistic approach, according to a report.
Families cannot tackle childhood obesity alone, EU study says
The family environment is not able to overcome childhood obesity without governmental support, a new report has found.
Andriukaitis: ‘Rare cancers present a particular challenge’
The European Commission’s priority when tackling rare cancers such as sarcomas is to ensure European Reference Networks (ERNS) are put in place so that all patients have access to the best expertise available in the EU, Vytenis Andriukaitis told Euractiv.com in an interview.
Rare cancers: A headache for policymakers
The complexity of diagnosing and treating rare forms of cancers like sarcomas can be addressed by a multi-level approach and better coordination among member states, insist experts in the field.
Rare cancers: Cracking the code
The growing number of cases of rare diseases has raised eyebrows in the EU and policymakers are now exploring ways to understand and tackle the complexity of the phenomenon.
Poverty and tobacco carry similar health risks, study finds
People on the bottom rung of the socioeconomic ladder may live two years less on average than those at the top, according to a large-scale study published Wednesday (31 January) in the British journal The Lancet.
Drugmaker Novo Nordisk bets $145 mln on post-Brexit UK science
The world's largest producer of diabetes drugs has invested millions in a new research centre at the University of Oxford despite Brexit and a possible move of the European Medicines Agency from London.
Breast implant victims win payout from German safety body
A French court on Friday ordered German safety certifier TUV to pay €60 million in compensation to 20,000 women who received defective breast implants that the group had approved.
Polish pollution akin to smoking 4,000 cigarettes a year
Air pollution made headlines in Poland this week but the issue was not the only thing to worry Poles, as lack of transparency and corruption in government once again reared their heads. EURACTIV Poland reports.
Germany votes to ease access to medical marijuana
The German Bundestag today (19 January) unanimously passed legislation granting seriously ill patients easier access to medical marijuana. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU member states still divided over endocrine disruptor regulation
At a meeting of experts yesterday (21 December) the European Commission failed to bridge the gap between member states on setting criteria for endocrine disruptors.
Europe must do more to stamp out lung cancer stigma
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the EU and 267,700 people die from it each year across Europe. MEPs and cancer activists call for more to be done to tackle the burden of this disease on the individuals diagnosed, their families and our society.
Diabetes expert: Urgent need for education ‘at every level’
There is a great need to raise awareness and enhance education on diabetes and a healthier lifestyle “at every level”, Stella de Sabata, head of the International Diabetes Federation, told EURACTIV.com.
E-health and the ‘fine line’ of big data
The introduction of digital technology in healthcare systems might be viewed by health stakeholders in a positive light. However, policymakers are yet to address issues related to data collection and use that are considered crucial in the management of chronic conditions like diabetes.
E-health should not exacerbate existing inequalities, NGO warns
Efforts to digitalise healthcare for chronic disease patients – including those suffering from diabetes – are helpful, according to the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA). But the move towards digitalisation should not exacerbate existing health inequalities, it warns.
Andriukaitis: E-health can empower patients to manage diabetes
The right eHealth tools will help healthcare systems adjust to the alarming rise of diabetes and patients to effectively monitor the development of their disease, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis said in an interview with EURACTIV.com.
Medical community alarmed by global rise in diabetes cases
The rise of diabetes is causing avoidable deaths and imposing substantial costs on ailing healthcare systems. Alarmed, lawmakers are attempting to improve prevention and get the emerging pandemic under control.
Diabetes: The next global challenge
Diabetes is a growing health challenge that has raised concerns among policymakers. The World Health Organisation says that 422 million adults have diabetes worldwide and projects that this chronic disease will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030.
Health minister: Drugs pricing will top Malta’s EU presidency
The Maltese EU presidency will seek more transparency in the way pharmaceutical companies negotiate with member states on medicines’ pricing, Health Minister Chris Fearne said in an interview with EURACTIV.
Sunbed ultraviolet radiation is ‘a complete carcinogen’, EU panel says
The European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) yesterday (30 November) concluded that ultraviolet radiation, including those emitted by sunbeds, was “a complete carcinogen”.
EU citizens enjoy longer lives, but not health equality
Europeans live almost 7 years more compared to 1990, but this does not necessarily mean that these years are healthy, a new report has found.