EKHA NEWSLETTER - Era-Edta - Home Page rapporteur is MEP Teresa Riera Madurell from the Group of the...
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EKHA NEWSLETTER March 2012
Transcript of EKHA NEWSLETTER - Era-Edta - Home Page rapporteur is MEP Teresa Riera Madurell from the Group of the...
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www.ekha.eu
EKHA NEWSLETTER
March 2012
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www.ekha.eu
EU PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMME Page 3
EU MEDICAL RESEARCH Page 4
DENMARK EU PRESIDENCY Page 4
EKHA MEETS DG SANCO AND DG RESEARCH Page 5
EUROPEAN CHRONIC DISEASE ALLIANCE Page 6
2012 WORLD KIDNEY DAY Page 7
EUROPEAN NEWS Page 8
EVENTS Page 11
EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
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EU PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMME
The Health for Growth Programme, currently being
discussed by the Council and the European Parliament
suggests a budget of 446 million Euros.
The Committee responsible for it is the Environment,
Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI). The
rapporteur is MEP Françoise Grossetête from the
European People’s Party (EPP). There are two shadow
rapporteurs: MEP Glenis Willmott from the Group of the
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)
and MEP Milan Cabrnoch from the European
Conservatives and Reformist Group (ECR).
EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
The vote in the committee is scheduled for 20 June 2012 (forecast), and the new regulation should enter into force
in 2014.
This programme will help EU countries respond to economic and demographic challenges facing their health
systems and enable citizens to stay healthy for longer.
.
2012 has been declared by the European Parliament and the
Council of the European Union the European Year of Active
Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. It is considered
as a chance for all of us to reflect on how Europeans are
living longer and staying healthier than ever before.
The challenge for politicians and stakeholders will be to
improve the opportunities for active ageing in general and
for living independently, acting in areas as diverse as
employment, health care, social services, adult learning,
volunteering, housing, IT services or transport.
The European Year seeks to raise awareness of the issues
and the best ways of dealing with them. But most of all it
seeks to encourage all policymakers and stakeholders to set
themselves goals and take action to meet them. 2012
should go beyond debating; it should start bringing tangible
results.
You can find more about this initiative by clicking here
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EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
It is currently awaiting its first reading at the European Parliament. The Committee responsible for it is the
Committee for Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). The rapporteur is MEP Teresa Riera Madurell from
the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D).
The act is expected to be adopted by the end of 2013 by the Parliament and the Council and it should enter into force in 2014 with the launch of the first calls.
EU MEDICAL RESEARCH
Horizon 2020 – the EU Framework Programme for Research
and Innovation – is the financial framework implementing
Innovation Union. Running from 2014 to 2020 with a €80
billion budget, it will combine all research and innovation
funding currently provided in the Framework Programme for
Research and Technical Development, the innovation related
activities of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework
Programme and the European Institute of Innovation and
Technology.
It was adopted by the Commission on 30 November 2011
and it is divided into 3 objectives:
- Excellent science (€24.6 billion)
- Industrial leadership (€17.9 billion)
- Societal challenges, including health (€31.7 billion)
HEALTH UNDER DENMARK EU PRESIDENCY
Denmark is holding the EU Presidency from 1st January 2012 to 30th June.
Subsequently, Cyprus will hold the Presidency form 1st July to 31st December
2012.
The Danish health priorities will focus increased attention to protecting
people from health threats and diseases, promoting healthy lifestyles and
helping national authorities in the EU cooperate on health issues (such as
eHealth and HTA). Denmark has made innovation in health a key priority
and intends to ensure that this aspect is reflected in all of its health
priorities.
Amendments to the Tobacco Directive, the review of the Medical Devices
Directive and the management of chronic diseases, with a special focus on
diabetes will be also on the 2012 Danish Agenda.
EKHA will seek to meet the Health Attaché from Cyprus before they take on
the Presidency.
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EKHA MEETS DG RESEARCH AND DG SANCO
On 23 January 2012, EKHA members met Grijgorij Kogan from DG Research and Isabel de la Mata from
DG Sanco.
EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
Grigorij Kogan has spent almost 30 years of research in the area of
carbohydrate chemistry and biochemistry, working at research
institutions in Slovakia, Germany, France, Canada, and the United
States. He is the author of 150 scientific publications including several
book chapters.
He has been working at the European Commission since 2007, at the
Directorate Health of the DG for Research and Innovation, where he is
in charge of the area of Chronic Diseases in the Medical Research Unit.
Isabel de la Mata, who works as Principal Adviser for Public Health at
Directorate SANCO – Health & Consumers since 1 March 2008,
presented the Health for Growth program.
She detailed the different type of grants available and insisted on the
importance of the Active and Healthy Ageing initiative.
EKHA Secretariat will follow very closely the developments in the
Platform for Active and Healthy Ageing and will make sure the renal
community is informed and takes part in every relevant action.
.
He explained how FP7 works, detailing the various possibilities of funding and how to apply for them.
Kidney disease research has been funded up to €71 million under FP7. The 2013 calls are currently
being reviewed by the programme committee and should have a budget of approximately €780
million.
On Horizon 2020, the new programme for research from 2014 to 2020, he mentioned that one of the
goals will be to help improve innovation to overcome the current crisis.
EKHA will feed in the process by identifying the areas of research where there is a gap and push for
their inclusion in future calls. EKHA will also push for some renal experts to be part of the advisory
groups set up to review the programs. The next advisory group for Horizon 2020 program will be
named in 2013.
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EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
EUROPEAN CHRONIC DISEASE ALLIANCE
The European Chronic Disease Alliance met on 25 November 2011, where the members approved the
nomination of EKHA as their secretariat for the year 2012.
EKHA took a leading role in the coordination of the Alliance, drafting the Memorandum of Understanding and
organising the payment of the €3,000 fee agreed. This is a great step forward for ECDA.
Another meeting took place on 11 January 2012. It was the opportunity to discuss how ECDA will feed into the
reflection process initiated by the Council Conclusion of 7 December 2010. The European Respiratory Society
has produced a very complete and well written document that ECDA has submitted to Commissioner Dalli and
several EU officials. The document summarizes the issues related to all chronic diseases represented by the
ECDA and make strong recommendations to tackle them, calling for the EU to be more dynamic in terms of
prevention.
The 2012 Public Health Program, published in December 2011, takes on board the issue of chronic diseases.
ECDA will present a project for the call on Preventing Chronic Diseases. The project will develop a
demonstration model that can be used to provide integrated approaches to address cost effectiveness in
chronic disease prevention. The model will show how the costs of chronic diseases in at least five EU countries
will alter both currently and into the future based on existing NCD trends. The deadline to present the project
is 9 March 2012. As the ECDA secretariat, it will be coordinated by EKHA secretariat.
The next meeting of ECDA is scheduled for the 22 March in Brussels.
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2012 EKHA WORLD KIDNEY DAY EVENT
The directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on standards of quality and safety of human
organs intended for transplantation was adopted in July 2010. This standardisation of the 27 European
countries procurement, testing, characterisation, preservation, transport and transplantation of human
organs will make way for much more movement of suitable organs between member states.
The 2012 World Kidney Day campaign will focus on the positive outcome of kidney transplantation and
the life-saving aspect of organ donation, and it is scheduled for Tuesday 6 March in Brussels. This year’s
event will be divided in two parts: a press conference at lunch time and the MEP Group for Kidney Health
dinner in the evening. The press conference will mainly focus on post mortem donation whereas the dinner
will mainly focus on living donation.
The dinner will be hosted by Frieda Brepoels MEP. The event is sponsored by Abbott, Novartis and Roche.
Introduction Professor Norbert Lameire, Chairman of EKHA Professor Raymond Vanholder, Chairman of ERA-EDTA Statement of support for World Kidney Day Ms Frieda Brepoels MEP Overview of organ donation and transplantation from a medical perspective: what are the issues? Professor Daniel Abramovicz, Head of Nephrology Department, Erasmus, Brussels Professor Yves Vanrenteghem, Chairman Department of Nephrology, KU Leuven Living after a kidney transplant – testimony of a living donor and recipient Frits Engel - Marianne Vlaswinkel Commission's activities in the field of organ donation and transplantation (Directive, Action Plan, projects) Dominik Schnichels – DG Sanco - Head of Unit “Substances of human origin and tobacco control” Closing the gap between the need for kidneys and the lack of donors – How to tackle the challenge? Mark Murphy, Vice-President of the European Kidney Patient’s Federation
EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
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Healthy diet and physical activity: Commissioner Dalli to urge action to prevent non-communicable diseases
On 29th of November 2011, John Dalli, the European
Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, addressed
Member States' representatives (the High Level Group on
Nutrition and Physical Activity) and stakeholders (the EU Platform
for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health) at a joint meeting
in Brussels. He commended the achievements of governments and
Platform members in addressing unhealthy diets and physical
activity in the EU since the adoption in 2007 of an EU Strategy to
address obesity and overweight related issues.
Commissioner Dalli urged the European governments and
stakeholders to step up efforts to make healthy options available
and promote physical activity for all ages. He also highlighted areas
where public and private synergies could produce tangible results
such as food reformulation and responsible advertising. More
information on this topic can be accessed here.
Consequently, on the 9th February 2012, the EU Platform for
Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health held a plenary session
focused on food reformulation. To read the flash report of the
meeting click here.
New OECD “Health at a Glance 2011” Report: invest in prevention and management of chronic diseases
This sixth edition of Health at a Glance provides the latest comparable
data on different aspects of the performance of health systems in OECD
countries. It provides striking evidence of large variations across countries
in the costs, activities and results of health systems. For the first time, it
also features a chapter on long-term care.
The PDF version of the document is available here.
EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
EUROPEAN NEWS
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Scientists identify strategies to conquer lifestyle and genetic factors related to chronic diseases
In the context of a foresight study under the auspices of the European Science Foundation (ESF), a group of scientists
has examined the challenges associated with chronic inflammatory diseases, and described 10 key areas with the
highest priority for research. Their recommendations are published in a supplement to The Journal of Allergy and
Clinical Immunology (JACI), the official journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
For the Press Release, click here.
EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
EUROPEAN NEWS
EU study assesses obesity prevalence rates
Researchers believe obesity raises people's risk of suffering
from chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular
disease and certain cancers. As the incidence of obesity is
currently increasing all over the world, it is important to
achieve a more accurate estimate of future obesity prevalence,
by obtaining and using data from longitudinal studies. New
research, presented in the journal PLoS ONE, tackles this issue
through the DIOGENES ('Diet, obesity and genes') project,
which received more than €14 million under the 'Food quality
and safety' thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework
Programme (FP6).
For more information regarding the study click here.
NGOs call for a new EU alcohol strategy
On the 17th November 2011, Member States’
representatives gathered at a critical meeting of the
Committee on National Alcohol Policy and Action to discuss
the future of the EU Alcohol Strategy. 85 Health and social
NGOs from across Europe joined forces to call on European
governments and the European Commission to develop a
Strategy for the European Union before the current
initiative ends in 2012.
For the Press Release, click here.
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EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
EUROPEAN NEWS
WHO's Executive Board supports reform proposals
The Executive Board of the World Health
Organization (WHO) held at the beginning of
November a three-day special session with Member
States expressing strong support for WHO's work and
reaching agreement on broad proposals for reform.
The proposals aim to better position WHO to improve
health outcomes, create a greater coherence in
global health and exercise its leadership functions as
a more efficient, effective and transparent
organization.
More information to be found here.
Instrument to map management of non-
communicable diseases in primary care
under development
WHO/ Europe is developing a new framework
instrument which would permit a better assessment of
the management of non-communicable diseases in
primary care. This initiative is conducted in
collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Health
Services Research (NIVEL).
A draft report on the issue was presented at a meeting
in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on 25-26 January
2012. At the meeting, representatives of 37 Member
States in the WHO European Region discussed their
experience with tackling NCDs and ways to further
develop the tool.
Read more here.
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EUROPEAN EVENTS
28 February 2012 Regional and Local Initiatives Promoting Healthy and Active Ageing
Brussels, Belgium
8 March 2012 The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation: Dealing with the present
Planning for the Future Brussels, Belgium
22 March 2012 Healthcare in Europe Geneva, Switzerland
27 March 2012 6th Annual Nutrition and Lifestyle Conference: Towards a Healthier
Future for European Citizens Brussels, Belgium
16-17 April 2012 Innovation in Healthcare without borders Brussels, Belgium
18-20 April 2012 Global eHealth Strategies Symposium Luxembourg
3-4 May 2012 High Level Conference on EU Health Programmes: Results and Future Perspectives Brussels, Belgium
7-9 May 2012 eHealth Week 2012 Copenhagen, Denmark
9-12 May 2012 19th European Congress on Obesity Lyon, France
23-24 May 2012 8th Annual World Care Congress Amsterdam, the Netherlands
EKHA NEWSLETTER - March 2012
EKHA MEMBERS’ EVENTS
20-21 May 2012 IKFK Regional Meeting Albena, Bulgaria
24-27 May 2012 49th ERA-EDTA Congress Paris, France
12-14 June 2012 The Renal Association Conference 2012 Gateshead, England
15-18 September 2012 41st EDTNA/ERCA International Conference Strasbourg, France
20-23 September 2012 ISN Nexus Conference 2012: Bone and the Kidney Copenhagen,
Denmark
6-9 October 2012 XLII National Congress of Spanish Society of Nephrology Maspalomas,
Gran Canaria, Spain
6-9 October 2012 4th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Nephrology Hamburg,
Germany
18-21 May 2013 50th ERA-EDTA Congress Istanbul, Turkey
31 May-4 June 2013 ISN World Congress of Nephrology 2013 Hong Kong
