| Belgium has managed to complete some files, set the wheels in motion for others, and build a solid foundation for the future. That the Belgian Presidency of the EU had such a strong programme on health, is in no small part down to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, Frank Vandenbroucke. In an op-ed for Euractiv he laid out the connections between European and national health policy, “Europe must step in to avoid implosion of parts of our national health systems. This is not done by replacing national policies but by creating a supportive ‘holding environment’: that is what a true European Health Union is about.” Vandenbroucke is one of the names often heard in the mix for the job of future EU Health Commissioner. Though he has had general approval from NGOs, he is treated with fear and loathing by some sectors. In particular, there is concern from some quarters that he will side with the opponents of highly processed food, alcohol and – of course – tobacco. Belgium’s Presidency of the Council coincided with the end of the current legislative cycle. The EU Health Data Space and the substances of human origin, SoHO, regulation were steered to a safe landing. The Council also managed to reach an agreement on vaccine-preventable cancers, though fell short of agreeing on a recommendation for a smoke-free environment. The Belgians started the Council’s reflections on the EU pharmaceutical package, reaching a “stable” text on medicine shortages, while leaving some questions linked to this issue open. Member states have had their first discussion on “the broad architecture” of incentives, revealing a wide range of opinions around the table. Health Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides described the launch of the Critical Medicines Alliance in April, as a very significant step taken under the Belgian presidency. The Alliance provides a framework to address shortages, without waiting on legislative change in the pharma package. The Belgians also wanted to use their presidency to lay the foundations for the next EU political term (2024 – 2029). Hosting and organising several high-level conferences to discuss all aspects of the European Health Union, from antimicrobial resistance to determinants of health. As Europe looks ahead to a new Commission and Parliament, the conclusions from the last Health Council on the Future of the European Health Union, provides an agreed list of the eight main challenges that lie ahead; medicine shortages, shortages in the health workforce, prevention of non-communicable diseases, targeting unmet medical needs, combatting antimicrobial resistance, developing an EU ecosystem for clinical trials, crisis preparedness, an agenda on health and climate change, and improving EU implementation tools. Other news Innovative Health Initiative – Call for projects Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) launches calls for proposals in eight broad areas from combatting cardiovascular disease in cities, to making use of ‘big data’ to make sense of osteoarthritis. The total budget for the call is € 96.5 million. Of this, € 47.6 million comes from Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme; € 40.9 million comes from IHI’s industry members; and € 8.1 comes from IHI contributing partners. The deadline for short proposals is 10 October 2024. Médecins Sans Frontières ends its Access Campaign Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is implementing a new structure that will replace the MSF Access Campaign. “As we undergo this transition, we continue our work and commitment to getting medicines and urgent healthcare products to the people and communities who are often denied access to them,” says Dr. Christos Christou, MSF international president. The decision has been met with widespread consternation with over 100 organisations writing an open letter to MSF calling on them to continue the campaign and even expand their efforts. Reducing the risk of tick-borne encephalitis this summer The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has issued a warning of the risks of tick-borne encephalitis, particularly during the summer months. They recommend wearing protective clothing with long sleeves, using insect repellent and seeking vaccination for this disease. In 2022, there were 3,650 cases reported in 20 EU/EEA countries. | 