Committee on Public Health Ordinary meeting
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SANT European Parliament
Follow its sittingsHadja Lahbib
In the past year, health has continued to make headlines in Europe and in the rest of the world. The hantavirus, Ebola outbreaks are clear reminders of the importance of strong and effective health emergency preparedness and response. Health threats easily cross borders. That is why coordination within the EU but also internationally is essential, and that is exactly what Preparedness Union strategy is about. Last year, as of first concrete deliverables of this strategy, we adopted a medical countermeasures strategy.
It builds on foundations laid under the last mandate where you helped make Europe stronger and better protected.
One thing is certain: when the next crisis hits, we won't face it alone. Hantavirus and Ebola proved once again global cooperation is not a luxury, it's a necessity. Three weeks ago, we presented the Global Health Resilience Initiative, our commitment in action. We will strengthen surveillance systems in third countries, share expertise on surge capacity, and support initiatives to speed up the development and access to the tools we need when outbreaks strike. Because a threat anywhere is a threat everywhere.
Honorable members, over the past months, we have started turning our medical countermeasures strategy into concrete action, working with member states, with industry, civil society, and partners around the world. And earlier this year, we adopted our comprehensive health threat prioritization assessment, a shared EU-level understanding of priority health threats. Ebola and hantavirus were already on that list. We are also investing in what protects us: new vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Through Horizon Europe and EU4Health, we are backing promising vaccine and therapeutic candidates against Ebola, Ebola, and hantaviruses.
And we are donating medical equipment, including protective equipment, to support the Ebola outbreak response. And at the same time, we are supporting strengthening surveillance and sequencing capacities to help contain the outbreak. At the One Health Summit in Lyon last April, we committed 50 million euros investment to develop new antibiotics against antimicrobial resistance and treatment for dengue.
Together with our stockpiles of medical countermeasures, these investments are building real preparedness for all kind of hazards. We will also tackle disinformation head-on. As a former journalist, I have seen firsthand what fake news can do in a crisis. In health emergencies, reliable, science-based information can save lives. Honorable members, we must keep health preparedness a priority in our next European budget.
Europeans expect nothing less. Our civil protection mechanism and Union support for health emergency preparedness and response instrument will anchor our operational response capacity. We must also make sure that innovation in medical countermeasures and the industrial capacity needed to produce them receive strong support through the European competitiveness fund and Horizon Europe. I count on your support in the upcoming negotiations. Preparedness means nothing if it doesn't reach everyone equally.
As Commissioner for Equality, I'm committed to fixing a long-standing injustice. For too long, medicine was designed around male standards.
Women pay the price with misdiagnosis, inadequate treatments, and ignored symptoms. That must end now. In our Union, your healthcare cannot depend on your gender. This is a priority for our roadmap for women's rights and the new gender equality strategy I presented in March. We will soon launch a new initiative with the WHO to improve the quality and access of women's healthcare, giving policymakers the evidence they need to act.
We will also work with the European Medicines Agency to explore a gender sensitive check in medicines development because a drug that works for men must also work for women. Through Horizon Europe we are investing 220 million euros in women's health research to better understand conditions that have been understudied for far too long. And we will do more for women's sexual and reproductive health and rights in Europe and beyond.
In February, we responded positively to the citizens' initiative My Voice, My Choice, recognizing that unsafe abortion is a public health issue. This met the Parliament's demand for a positive reply as expressed in the plenary resolution from last December. For the first time, EU funding can be used to support access to safe and legal abortion services where member states choose to use the European Social Fund Plus for that purpose. Honorable members, let me leave you with two convictions. First, health preparedness is not just a health issue.
It's a security issue. The next outbreak is not a question of if, but a question of when. And when it comes, Europe must be ready. And second, women's health is not negotiable. When we fail to invest in it, women pay the price with their health across their entire lives, and society pays the price as well, because it could be your mother, your wife, your daughter, and anyone else that you know, and so we all pay the price finally.
This is a cost none of us can afford. So I count on you. Let's build a union that is fairer, that is healthier, and better prepared for everyone. Thank you very much.
Adam Jarubas
Thank you, Madam Commissioner. Thank you for your presentation. Now I open the floor to MEP. We've got a few indications. We're starting from Sirpa Pietikäinen, please.
Sirpa Pietikäinen
Thank you. First of all, I would like to thank you wholeheartedly, Commissioner, for bringing up the women's health issue. That sort of ticks the box out of my intervention because you laid the grounds on there very strongly.
So there's the whole support of the Parliament on this aspect and the report coming as you know. Secondly, we have health threats that can happen separate simultaneously. We can have a infection and deficit of medicine, for example, at the same time. We have health issues that are interacting, happening at the same time and having impact, let's say women, poorer condition to start with in their health, and then a virus or bacteria infection, and the vulnerable groups are hit hardest and paying the prices as you mentioned.
But then there's the synergistic health threats why we need this one health approach. As a good example is of course the climate and biodiversity loss. When we have heatwaves, we have at the simultaneously poor nutrition, we probably have infections, we might have new AMR cases, and they are an energy shortage, and they in hospitals and they are interacting with each other.
And I'm afraid we are not very well prepared as a community in EU that not to talk about globally about this. And that's why the parliament is trying to raise on its point on this health preparedness on prevention and calculating also the cost of inaction because otherwise the member states only see the fact that okay this is quite a lot of demands for them to invest on climate change prevention, to invest on restoration of the nature, to invest on better health resilience and health force.
Okay, what I'm hoping is that EU could support on the next a proper analysis in EU and global level about what is one health resilience. And hopefully it could be combined together with the coming climate adaptation plan and then to have the synergistic point of view what this means on resources from intensive care to prevention and promoting good health and good environment for all.
We can't solve it in separate silos. And so my last question is what action do you envisage so possible to take from the Commission on this approach? Thank you.
Christophe Clergeau
Merci Monsieur le Président. Bonjour Madame la Commissaire. Moi je vais d'abord soutenir tous les propos de Sirpa que nous partageons et revenir sur la question de la santé des femmes puisque nous avons adopté ici dans cette commission un rapport d'initiative, enfin l'avis de cette commission pour le rapport qui est en train d'être finalisé côté femmes. Et même si nous reconnaissons l'intérêt de s'appuyer sur la stratégie pour l'égalité entre femmes et hommes pour franchir des premières étapes, nous continuons à demander une stratégie pour la santé des femmes à l'échelle européenne. Donc vous n'êtes pas en charge de la santé mais parce qu'il nous semble que ce qu'on peut faire dans le cadre de la stratégie pour l'égalité est trop limité, même si c'est très important, par rapport à tous les sujets qui ont été ouverts.
Donc je ne sais pas si vous pouvez vous exprimer là-dessus. Et concernant My Voice, My Choice, vous savez que la décision prise par la Commission a été un élément positif, mais aussi une déception sur ce qu'elle permettait concrètement de faire.
Donc est-ce que vous pouvez clarifier un point particulier ? Vous autorisez les États membres qui le souhaitent à utiliser le Fonds social. Mais quand il y a un vrai problème, généralement le problème vient des États membres. Donc est-ce que vous êtes prêts à autoriser les autorités de gestion, et notamment les régions, à utiliser directement, sans qu'il y ait une décision au niveau national, le Fonds social pour financer des actions de soutien aux réseaux d'accompagnement des femmes ou à l'accès direct à l'avortement ? Je pense que c'est un point de clarification qui serait important.
Pour revenir maintenant sur Health Preparedness, sur la préparation aux crises en matière de santé, nous avons eu ce matin une audition publique dans cette commission très intéressante et je voudrais vous livrer juste trois éléments qui vont dans le sens de peut-être après avoir fait beaucoup pour identifier les risques, les scénarios de réponse et avoir les médicaments, les contre-mesures, il y a encore beaucoup à faire, mettre plus l'accent, et ça va aussi dans le sens de Sirpa, sur la réduction de l'impact pour les populations et les populations les plus vulnérables. Donc est-ce que l'on peut faire plus dans cette direction-là, mieux identifier les vulnérabilités, mieux renforcer tous les outils d'accompagnement des personnes vulnérables et des territoires vulnérables qui peuvent être les premières victimes des crises qu'elles soient environnementales ou sanitaires ?
Un expert nous disait qu'il fallait rendre obligatoire des expériences de simulation à l'échelle transfrontalière et le faire régulièrement pour, au-delà de la notion même de stress test, voir concrètement comment les choses s'organisaient et en tirer des leçons pour faire évoluer l'action publique. Et puis dernier point, c'est lié avec UCPM, c'est aller vraiment vers une gouvernance multiniveau, mais y compris les autorités locales et régionales, donc d'avoir une pleine reconnaissance dans la loi européenne du rôle des autorités locales et régionales dans la prévention, mais aussi dans la gestion des crises et l'accompagnement des populations.
Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu
Thank you, Chair. Commissioner, citizens in eastern Romania have experienced, as you very well know, Russian drones reaching their communities, and preparedness is obviously no longer theoretical there. How is the Commission ensuring that frontline regions receive dedicated support for emergency medical response, trauma care, evacuation capacity, and critical medicine stockpiles?
And do you believe that EU preparedness funding should reflect the higher risks faced by citizens living on the eastern border? And another question was also related to that. In a crisis, a drone may damage a building, but disinformation, as you very well know, can undermine the response of an entire community. In Romania over the last four years, false claims have been abundant. Claims about military mobilization, for example, have spread online much faster than official information.
Given the growing role of social media algorithms in amplifying false and manipulative content, how is the Commission preparing Member States to maintain public trust and ensure that reliable information reaches citizens when it matters most? Thank you.
Stine Bosse
Thank you very much. I'll start with women's health and thank you for your work in this area and that you're passionate about exactly this topic. Now, we spoke, I think, about a month or two ago on exactly this question of, you know, should we have a strategy or are we okay?
And you convinced us that we are actually okay. There are a lot of initiatives and when we add them all together they probably look like a strategy. So I would just encourage you to comment on this and then also to comment on how can we communicate this clearer? How can we help you and support you in making sure that everybody is aware that there is actually a strategy and there is actually a lot of initiatives from your side in in the area of women's health.
Second, on this whole area of emergency and health. I mean, I think it was perhaps even in this room in the beginning of the mandate, we all talked about the increasing risks in this area due to the fact that the US was pulling away from WHO, pulling away from USAID or laying down USAID, and that that would have an effect on the risks for Europe.
So, so what is happening right now is, is horrible and terrible, but we should, we are not and we should not be unprepared. But I would like to ask you, with the level of funding that we are putting in this direction today, and is this reflecting the increased risk, or do you actually see that we should look for more funding, and especially of course pointing out to the next MFF? And then second, did we learn, and and I think you have encouraged us to say yes, we did learn from the COVID-19, that one of the very, very important areas is also that the countries, that the nations actually listen, that they take measures when things occur. So during the latest two situations occurring, have you found that the nations are actually reacting as they should, and are they alert and and listening and and doing whatever you are asking them or suggesting them to do?
Could you repeat the last? So during the last two incidents, Ebola and Hunter, when you have, you know, told the countries you have to have this reaction, you have to take these countermeasures, you have to do this and that.
Do you, is your impression is that there is a reaction, that they are listening, that there is a higher level of awareness around your guidance in this area, the Commission's guidance, or do we still have a question of countries not really realizing what they should do?
Catarina Martins
Obrigada, senhor presidente. Senhora comissária, vou falar em português.
One moment please. Go ahead please.
Catarina Martins
Senhora Comissária, eu queria perguntar-lhe sobre o surto de Ébola, mas começo pelas suas palavras iniciais e pelas questões da saúde das mulheres. Quando a senhora Comissária ficou no seu portfólio com as questões da saúde das mulheres, enfim, foi claro para este Parlamento que ficava com elas com medo de que, ficando o Comissário da Saúde, tivéssemos recuos ou pelo menos não tivéssemos a defesa necessária da saúde sexual e reprodutiva das mulheres. A verdade é que, enfim, nós para termos direitos sexuais e reprodutivos precisamos que eles também sejam direitos de saúde.
E a verdade é que as desigualdades no acesso à saúde não passam só pelas questões da saúde sexual e reprodutiva. Eu fui relatora desta comissão para a opinião que foi amplamente consensual aqui sobre a necessidade de uma estratégia para a saúde das mulheres, que incluísse seguramente as questões dos direitos e do acesso à saúde sexual e reprodutiva, mas também todas as outras questões, saúde cardiovascular, por exemplo, que é uma das áreas em que as mulheres são esquecidas e que têm, enfim, impactos tão altos e que se prendem com o facto de na saúde o corpo da mulher, o estudo do corpo da mulher ter ficado em segundo plano.
Desse ponto de vista, eu acho que tendo começado esta comissão com uma divisão de portfólios talvez estranha, teríamos todos a ganhar muito se a senhora comissária viesse apresentar uma estratégia para a saúde das mulheres com esta visão global, aliás seguindo aquilo que é o pedido desta comissão. E acho que poderíamos daqui ter um diálogo muito importante em que a União Europeia poderia dar um exemplo fundamental. Queria agora perguntar-lhe sobre os, sobre o surto de Ébola. Sem nenhum, sem nenhum alarmismo, é preciso compreender que estamos num momento delicado. Já se ultrapassaram os 330 casos confirmados por laboratório com o vírus a fixar-se ativamente no Kivu Norte, na República Democrática do Congo, mas a gerar transmissão comunitária também em Kampala, a capital do Uganda.
E perante esta velocidade, a UNICEF acionou o seu nível máximo de emergência, alertando que a resposta humanitária está atrás da curva de contágio e exige ações integradas urgentes. A UNICEF pede diagnosticar cedo, isolar, tratar, rastrear contactos, proteger profissionais e, sobretudo, envolver as comunidades e coordenar a resposta transfronteiriça. O que está em causa é o vazio terapêutico de que a senhora comissária já falou, porque ao contrário de crises anteriores, não há vacinas licenciadas nem tratamentos aprovados para esta variante, neste momento. Mas para além disso, a revista Lancet alerta agora para o facto de enfrentarmos uma crise sindémica em que o vírus se mistura de forma letal com a malária e a sepse fulminante em zonas de conflito armado, o que eleva a mortalidade.
A maior lição que nós trazemos do passado e a mais pesada sobre surtos de Ébola é clara: é que o Ébola pode decapitar sistemas de saúde se nós não protegermos quem está na linha da frente. Em 2014, na Libéria, matou três quartos dos médicos do país.
Senhora Comissária, os 7,4 milhões de euros alocados pela Comissão à Organização Mundial de Saúde estão a ser amplamente ultrapassados pela realidade no terreno. E por isso eu pergunto-lhe como vai a HERA reforçar substancialmente o financiamento de emergência para responder ao apelo da UNICEF e de outros organismos internacionais e atores humanitários para garantir testes rápidos, isolamento precoce e EPIs adequados nas províncias afetadas. Na audição desta manhã com a diretora do ECDC, julgo que ficou confirmada a necessidade absoluta de mais testes rápidos, de mais apoio logístico, porque parece que é óbvio que a Europa também não se vai proteger sem apoiar e robustecer os sistemas de saúde locais onde o surto começa. A nossa segurança epidemiológica na Europa depende diretamente da capacidade de resposta em Goma ou Kampala.
Queria além disso saber e mesmo para finalizar como está a comissão a usar a diplomacia humanitária e o nexo proteção civil para assegurar corredores logísticos e sanitários seguros que permitam o rastreio eficaz dos contactos nas zonas que estão fustigadas por conflitos armados. Sabemos que este surto tem toda a complexidade. Obrigada.
Adam Jarubas
Thank you Catarina. Dear Commissioner Lahbib could you comment the question posed by MEPs?
Hadja Lahbib
Yeah, of course. Maybe I will ask the more, the question that many of you asked about what we are facing today, the Hanta and Ebola viruses, because it came back from many of you. First of all, I would like to reassure you, following the assessment of ECDC, I understand that you met them this morning, there is very low risk in Europe for European people, I mean, and the most likely scenario that could happen is isolated cases.
And for that, you know, the advice from the WHO, from ECDC and other international agencies is not to close the border, no, you know, ban. And unfortunately, we see many, some member states taking, you know, isolated decisions.
Hadja Lahbib
Yes, that's a problem. And on Friday, with the Commissioner in charge of Health and Santé, I will go to inform them for an informal meeting. And I hope that we will have a more coordinated approach, which is really essential. To give you an example, you know that there were these football match Paris PSG Saint-Germain in Paris and the President Tshisekedi was blocked in Budapest with his plane. He couldn't, he was stuck there, he couldn't attend.
And his brother came from another Member States with a whole delegation and could attend.
So it shows that, you know, we are not serious. And another thing is that yesterday a football team from was banned and not allowed to go to Spain to play a friendly game, but they were in Brussels, you know, they were training in Brussels. So it shows that we really need to have a more coordinated approach and I hope we will succeed. So, now when it comes to the, yes, the needs, they are immense, immense, and it's basic needs.
You know, this Ebola strain is mainly fever, high fever and hemorrhagic fever. I think that, you know, with paracetamol, with some medicines and to dehydrate the patient, we can save a lot of life. And six patients has recovered. And since the last figure that I have in mind from this morning, we have only 816 suspected cases. It has reduced drastically because all the other cases was common disease or fever, I mean, following colds and such a kind of thing.
And we did a lot. First of all, thanks to our support to Africa CDC, we were able to identify this trend, this Ebola Budibungyo, which is not a new one. The first time it occurred in 2007 in Budibungyo.
And it is thanks to our support to Africa CDC that we identify this trend. And secondly, we have contributed to launch, we have launched an appeal to produce a vaccine and to test it later on through our CEPI, so the Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovation.
So it means that we are, yes, launching research and development, accelerating the production on vaccine. And I think that we have two good proposal from Moderna, Moderna and another that Eva, I think that, so we hope that we will have a vaccine soon. And now on the humanitarian field, we are doing a lot.
I was myself at the airport a couple of days ago on Sunday for a humanitarian air bridge with 100 tons of humanitarian aid, tents, medical supplies, antibiotics, paracetamol and protective equipment and personal protective equipment and so on with UNICEF. And we decided also to upgrade, to step up our contribution, humanitarian aid contribution with 16 million.
It is added to the 87 million that we gave already at the beginning of the year. And so this is our immediate response. I think it shows that we are doing a lot and our ECHO colleagues are in Bunia coordinating activities from the field with our field teams from Kinshasa, Goma, Uganda, Nairobi and we are working closely with humanitarian and health partners on the emergency response. So this is to give you an overview of what we are facing today.
And yes, coming back to the question on yes, the fact that we are facing multiple crisis, I agree totally that we need to adapt to this new reality, to have the capacity to tackle cascading effect of a single crisis. And that's why we have proposed for the next in our preparedness strategy to create this hub. You can call it whatever you want, but to have the capacity to tackle the consequences of, for instance, a health emergencies. You can have transport problem with if the borders are closed, which is again, in this case, this is not the advice given by WHO. And we must always take the decision based on the scientist expertise and not on, you know, fears and so on.
So, and we are also implementing preparedness by design as part of the preparedness union strategy. We have already adopted a number of key actions on water resilience strategy, on EU stockpiling strategy, a medical countermeasure strategy, democracy shield to combat disinformation, and we tabled a proposal to strengthen our civil protection mechanism and health emergency response.
And the overarching principle of preparedness by design is being gradually implemented starting with the MFF proposals. We already embedded this philosophy within the current MFF. The revision of the cohesion policy framework last year allowed Member States to shift funds towards civil preparedness, dual-use and defense projects. And the Commission proposal for the new MFF proposes even more funding for preparedness, embedding preparedness and security priorities across major programs, including the national and regional partnerships plans.
And when it comes to the Global Health Resilience Initiative and equitable access to medical countermeasures, the three hubs we are establishing on vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics are designed from the outset with equity built in.
For example, the EU diagnostics hub has an explicit focus on ensuring tests and technologies reach vulnerable and minority populations who were systematically underserved during the COVID-19 pandemic. And on procurement, joint and pooled procurement mechanisms are significantly designed to aggregate demand from countries with less, for instance, purchasing power. And we are working with partners across the globe on manufacturing. We are sharing the expertise built through EU FAB with partners so they can build surge capacity in their own regions.
And for the first time last year we had our first, how it was, pharmaceutical HERA days to boost the research and development on therapeutics, on antimicrobial resistance and on vaccines also. So it shows that we are acting at every level. This is a real strategy because we are really mainstreaming the threats and how to response to these threats at every level: local, regional, national level, including also the private sector and even the defense sector.
And when it comes to yes, women health. For too long women's health have been you know ignored. I said it in my opening remarks. And the key message that I I shared also at the the UNGA, the UN General Assembly, it was that the world has maybe changed but the EU's commitment to gender equality has not.
And this was the key message for the new gender equality strategy as well. The strategy aims to step up our efforts to embed gender equality in every, every aspect of life, online, offline, work, school, at home. And for the first time, the principle of intersectionality was included too in our gender equality strategy was health, health issue. So we have launched also a new initiative with the World Health Organization to explore, to do a kind of mapping, to improve the quality and accessibility of women's healthcare.
And so we will do this mapping, what are the best practices worldwide, to collect all this information to allow the decision maker to take the best decision following this study. And it will be, the Commission will also fund a study on the macro and microeconomic and societal benefit of closing the women's health gap related to certain conditions like menopauses and endometriosis, which are not well explored. And to ensure that medicines are safe and effective for all, the Commission together with the European Medicines Agency, we will look into developing gender-sensitive checks in the product life cycle of human medicine, so including research and development. And this will be built on the existing work on gender-sensitive clinical trials.
So we will ask, did you test on, you know, women? And even we will try to avoid that women who are breastfeeding or women, pregnant women, are excluded from clinical trials.
So, this is one of the... And when it comes to My Voice My Choice, yes, I can clarify my position. You know, we are in a full sector of sovereignty for Member States when it comes to health, how they organize their health system and their health legislation. So we find a way to propose to the Member State to use these funds. It's a first.
So they can use, if they wish, because we cannot force them, this is respecting the EU rules and the treaties, they can use the ESF+ funds. And so, it's clear.
And I've launched, you may know that several countries wrote me a letter asking me and the Commission particularly in general to come back with a positive reply. And so our reply was quite positive, I think, and now it is up to them to use these funds. So the ball is in their camp, actually. So, and on give you technical information, the ESF+ fund is a shared management mode. So it is for the national and regional, to answer to your specific question, Mr. Clergeau, to regional authorities of the member states to identify which specific objectives are to be supported under their various national and regional program.
It means that even regional authorities can use these funds. And when it comes to the stress tests exercise, we have plenty of them. And no later than yesterday, I think, we had a Modex exercise here in Belgium with its linked with the ERCC experts on the scenario of floods.
You know, it's not likely, it is likely to happen in the near future. And we have also HERA exercises regularly with all Member States, with EMA, with ECDC on pox, mpox, avian flu, and the next one will be on CBRN testing our systems.
You know that we have stockpiles, you know, on warehouses that are secretly spread in various countries of our Union. And so we are, I think I assisted myself on one in Oulu, it was in Finland a couple of months ago. And when it comes to Romania, first of all, I would like to express my total solidarity. I know that you are in a very difficult position and I visited myself many times all these western, these countries who have a border or are close to the border with Ukraine.
And we have EU stockpiles over there precisely because we know that you might be put yourself in danger. And ERCC and through the UCPM, we have transported many patients from Ukraine, but also from other parts of Europe and of the world, by the way. Because you know, a good example was also unexpected because I had a lot of questions from journalists. Switzerland is not part of Europe, but nevertheless, we evacuate patients who were wounded, severely wounded in Cramontana after the explosion on the 1st of January. And so we are stockpiling critical supplies everywhere and precisely where it is needed the most.
That's how we choose things. And we have, for instance, a Medevac in Romania. Don't we have it?
It's Poland. It's near, but it's able to respond. And I totally agree, as I said in my opening remarks, that we need to combat disinformation. It is a clear public threat, and I know better than anyone as a previous journalist, I know what can be the effect and the impact of misinformation. And you know, you can produce the best vaccine.
If the people don't trust you, if they don't understand, then they will not accept to use it.
To have a good community that can rely on information. And the good example also, you might have heard that in Ituri provinces where we have the Ebola outbreak, hospitals were burned because the people didn't understand that we refused to give back the body of the deceased one. And because it was a prevention measure to avoid the spread of this virus. But if they don't understand why you don't give back their beloved ones, then you know, of course you will create fear, angriness and so on.
So information is really key and that's why we have this democracy shield, and that's why also with EVP Virkkunen we organized a lot of gathering and one with her when it comes to misinformation but also online violence and so on, especially important for women's in public life like many of you in this room. So and I think it is our responsibility to ensure that citizens have access to reliable and certified and science-based information.
Yeah, now how to communicate better on women's health strategy? As I said, this is one of the first principles on our gender equality strategy, it's principle two. And we have this WHO project, we have sexual and reproductive health and rights project with Shield, with UNFPA, and we are doing a lot. I think it's, I try my best, I can assure you, to communicate.
I'm quite present in social media to spread good information, but I need your help for sure. And especially with the withdrawal from the US, the US from the WHO, which is dramatic, of course. And you've heard maybe that they decided to appoint a coordinator on Ebola because they have no one. They have no, they withdraw from all these international agencies and now they are quite isolated. They decided to ban all those who, you know, to close the borders to those who come from the region, which is exactly what the WHO, the contrary of the advice given by the experts.
So we have to stand firm on the science-based information that we receive from experts that are best placed to take good decisions. And I will stop there because I spoke too much, I guess.
Adam Jarubas
Thank you so much, Commissioner.
If you allow us for one additional question from a colleague who cannot be earlier, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión. Short question, one minute. Okay, Margarita, go ahead please.
Margarita de la Pisa Carrión
Gracias, presidente, por darme la oportunidad. Gracias, comisaria Kyriakides, por estar aquí presente hoy. Durante el día hemos hablado de la importancia de estar preparados para las crisis sanitarias, climáticas o epidemiológicas de las futuras, pero bueno, como estamos viendo ahora mismo, también de las presentes. De la necesidad de coordinación y de una estrategia común para responder ante posibles pandemias o emergencias.
Pero escuchándole no puedo evitar pensar en la situación actual de muchos sistemas sanitarios, en particular la de mi país, España. Hoy en día, especialmente los médicos, pero también otros profesionales sanitarios, hoy hemos votado en la Comisión de Salud el informe, trabajan bajo una enorme presión, muchas veces al límite, con guardias de más de 24 horas seguidas que continúan luego con su jornada laboral. Algo que sería que podría ser considerado ilegal y que no no se aplica para ningún otro tipo de profesión.
Simplemente por velar por nuestra salud, por mantener el funcionamiento normal de hospitales y centros de salud. Un sistema sanitario que en muchos países, en el caso de España, está colapsado porque no se ha ido adaptando al aumento constante de demanda provocado pues por el envejecimiento, también las políticas de fronteras abiertas, porque es fácil ofrecer servicios cuando no te preocupas luego de quienes tienen que ofrecerlos, a veces arriesgando la propia salud. Por eso me pregunto si realmente es posible hablar de preparación adecuada para futuras crisis cuando en el día a día ya existen dificultades para garantizar una respuesta normal y una atención de calidad a los pacientes.
¿Cómo podemos construir sistemas resilientes para afrontar emergencias extraordinarias si los profesionales ya están haciendo un esfuerzo extraordinario para mantener la normalidad? Muchas gracias.
Hadja Lahbib
Thank you for your very interesting question. Coordination is key. You are totally right. And helping each other among our union is a second key. And that's why we have this preparedness union strategy.
That's why we presented a UCPM HERA to tackle all kinds of hazard, no matter if it is a terrorist attack, if it is a massive disinformation, or if it is a health emergencies.
And so we need to work together. If one member states is overwhelmed because of an epidemic that occurred, let's imagine that Spain will face an epidemic, then we will help each other with research and development of vaccines, with joint procurement. All these things are in our medical countermeasures strategy and stockpiling strategy, which are the first two deliverables of the preparedness Union strategy. Now, specifically when it comes to the Ebola outbreak, as I said before you join us, the risks to Europe is very, very low. And WHO, ECDC, Africa CDC, all the international expertise are having the same assessment.
The I have the I just received it this morning the latest assessment. It is said that you know the realistic European scenario is a single imported case and we will certainly a traveler a returning health workers who become symptomatic after arrival and which well resourced health system are equipped to isolate and contain him this this virus. And you have to know that so far we have the lot of recovered cases I mean you know in Ituri provinces there are a lot of armed groups.
It's very hard to reach area. It's very difficult to go there because of difficulties, because of violence, because of combats and so on.
But if you can help the people, the patients at the very early stage, you will save them their lives. You know, the death toll is only, rate is only 30% to 50% depending on your health condition. And so I think that we shouldn't spread fears and anxiety here and do the right thing, which is monitoring. And the advice that WHO and ECDC is giving is to test those who are leaving at the exit, but not entering in our Union. That's, and I will follow this advice as a strong defender of multilateralism and scientific-based information.
Adam Jarubas
Thank you.
Thank you so much, Commissioner. Thank you for your presence today and valuable contribution to our discussion. Thank you for what you are doing regularly in strengthening and building our strategic resilience and preparedness to health threats. Thank you so much.
Adam Jarubas
Okay, thank you, Commissioner. Dear colleagues, we have one point to go through. The last item on our agenda is an exchange of views in the series Excellence in Health Science. By developing this series of exchange of views, I wanted to put more focus on science and innovation in health.
And for this purpose, we are inviting representatives of excellence in health science. As you remember, we already had some exchange of views in this series, and we are continuing today with the presentation of preventing of skin diseases and the public health risk associated with sunbed use.
Now I would like to invite our guest speaker to join us in the podium. I welcome today Professor Aleksandra Lesiak, head of the Department of Dermatology, Pediatric Dermatology and Oncology at the Central Clinical Hospital of Łódź, and Professor Alexander Stratigos, professor at the Department of Dermatology-Venereology of the University of Athens Medical School.
Both our guests are members of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. I give the floor to Professor Lesiak and to Professor Stratigos for their introductory statement and after that for the discussion. I now will give the floor to our distinguished guest, Professor Lesiak, you have the floor for eight minutes please.
Aleksandra Lesiak
Honorable members of Europarliament, dear chair, dear colleagues. I was already introduced by chair Jarubas. I'm from Poland, but I'm here mainly as a co-chair of EADV Advocacy Task Force. I would like to thank you, SANT Committee, for inviting us here, because for us it's a very important day, because I think for many years the skin diseases were very invisible politically. And this is the breakthrough, so I'm happy that last year WHO changed the narrative and just put the resolution and have a global skin diseases as a global health priority.
I don't have my slides here, that's why, but I can continue without them as well. So what I can say that skin diseases is not cosmetic, is not only the surface. Skin diseases are really hard diseases for our patients. Over 185 millions of our Europeans suffer from them. They are on the fifth top causes of disabilities among Europeans.
And they impact the physical health, mental health and other social being and also economic. So I said the WHO already make this prioritization of the skin diseases and nowadays there is the call for the for the member states just to just to do the support in the prevention, the access to care and surveillance of skin diseases.
That's why I also as EADV, the biggest European association of dermatologists, we would like to ask European Parliament and Commission just support this WHO resolution and do it as a Europe. There are a lot of links with general health. I would like to have this presentation because it's there because there are some slides with our patients, so it would be more, I think... Yes, so but I will state about the because I know this now works both in Commission and Europarliament about cardiovascular diseases.
You have the checks in the this heart plans to health of the heart plan and also I know that European Parliament has this EU cardiovascular strategy now going on. And it is very important from our point of view because inflammatory skin diseases are strictly connected to higher risk of development CVD, so is a heart attack, it is stroke and the others.
And for example, psoriatic patients, very often disease, has as up 50% higher risk of this cardiovascular risk. So that's why our asks is just to implement and put skin diseases as a risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and ongoing. I know already that some MEPs give this on the table and flag the link between cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory skin. So I think that our patients should be checked in the so can I have next slide, next. So you can see here there are our patients is not cosmetic issue at all.
So you can see there's not only psoriasis but also hidradenitis suppurativa, acne which is not only the pimple as you can see here on this and also vitiligo. And you from our perspective as a dermatologist we should treat inflammation, so inflammatory skin disease to prevent and reduce cardiovascular risk. So it is really very important. And as you can see it's we are talking about 200 millions of Europeans, so it's a large number of of citizen of European Union. Next slide please.
But it's not only but it's not only cardiovascular risk.
Visibility matters and skin lesions are visible. So it's caused the mental health problems and stigma. As you can see, our study which was done by EADV, our academy, shows that around 90% of our patients has a embarrassing in their personal life because of skin condition.
Over 80 has the problems in the professional life and 25 of them had to change their job because of skin condition. You can see that this 30% suffers from depression, anxiety and even more from everyday stress. And stigma matters because it's not only personal problem, it is the barrier for the care because patients are ashamed, delays for help seeking and delayed care of course worsen the outcomes, you know, we know everyone. Next slide please.
It's not only that. It is also the female are not equal to women. We have the previous meeting and we are talking about female angle. And here also we can see that in regard to skin health, the females are not equal to men. And as you can see, the women's before their fifties have a higher risk of develop melanoma, the worst skin cancer.
There will be more talks with my esteemed colleagues today. And also the young women are also at higher incidence of sunbed use and the risk of develop of this very difficult cancer. But also the other diseases like atopic dermatitis also flares around the premenstrual cycle. So there is also the hormonal influence. Acne persists not only is not for teenagers, it's for adults, especially and eighty-five percent of them is are women.
Alopecia areata is not only hair loss, is a dramatic situation and has a very powerful cultural problems for the patients. And psoriatic women are also at higher risk of ischemic stroke than men. Could you just change the slide please? Rare disease, I thank you for SANT committee because I know that you put it on the table that you have your own initiative about rare skin diseases. There is thousand of rare skin disease and many of them has skin manifestations and they are started mainly from the birth because they have genetic background as epidermolysis bullosa, butterfly children.
I'm very interested in it because I'm taking care of them. People the children of butterfly children they suffer for chronic wounds, pain and hours with dressing changes.
Of course, we have new perspective for treatment, but access to them is very limited across the Europe. And the other one is ichthyosis, epidermal differentiation disorders, living in armors. So they can't move, they have to spend hours for skin care.
Next slide please. And you know, we are only the voice and we are the message, we are giving the message from our patients because we are doctors here. And our patients, especially by the support of GlobalSkin, they do the survey about what our patients need. So GlobalSkin is over 200 organizations for skin diseases. They also seek for the prioritization of skin diseases.
They want to be seen. That's why our goals are the same. So we as a doctors, we are EADV and the patients ask you for see us, see our problems. Next slide please.
So I think that is not the end but also ending my presentation, it's time for European action for skin health. I know that skin health is a public health issue, is a women health issue, is a rare disease issue, it is cardiovascular health issue. It is also global health issue because we should follow the WHO resolution and also think about the mental and stigma issue. But not only, next slide please, because it's also oncologic issue because the skin cancer just are one of the most frequent cancers which can happen to us.
Of course, we are mainly talking about melanoma and when we see the data from 2020, we can see that over 100,000 people suffered from it. But also we should think about keratinocyte carcinomas like basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma. 20% of us will develop at least one of them during the lifetime. And maybe they are not life-threatening, they are life-altering, but are very cost-intensive to our health systems. So we should think about very early detection and treatment.
And what is the most important? Next slide, please. We can prevent majority of the skin cancers because we can just reduction to natural and artificial UV radiation, mainly to stop the harmful effects of sunbeds, what Professor Stratigos will be talking about. But we should also protect our outdoor workers from the sun exposure. And most important for me as a pediatric dermatologist, educate children and teenagers how to prevent during outdoor recreational activities.
So I think that giving the voice to my esteemed colleague, I would like to say that skin health is a public health issue. Prevention saves lives.
And now is the time for Europe to act for the health of our skin. Thank you so much and I open to your questions.
Adam Jarubas
Thank you, Professor Lesiak, for your great presentation. And now I would like to ask Professor Stratigos to take the floor, please.
Alexander Stratigos
Yes, thank you very much, dear chairperson, dear honorable members of the SANT committee. It's a great pleasure for me to be here to present the position of the European Academy of Dermatology Venereology regarding the public health risks that are linked to tanning beds.
I am a professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Athens, based in Greece. I'm also former president of the EADV and I'm also a physician who's treated patients with skin cancer for more than 25 years. So my goal will be in the next few minutes to present to you the scientific evidence that links skin cancer to tanning beds, also to review and discuss the current regulatory landscape regarding the use of tanning beds in Europe, and finally to offer you an outline of what we believe in the EADV will be necessary to protect European citizens from this unnecessary risk.
Next slide, please. The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, very briefly, is one of the leading professional organizations in dermatology and venereology internationally and also in Europe, represents more than 13,000 members, mostly colleagues in the field of dermatology and venereology, and with a mission to advance education, research, and clinical excellence, and also public health in our field.
And one of the core priorities in our advocacy strategy is to raise awareness about skin cancer, about the dangers of ultraviolet radiation, about sunbeds and the risk of skin cancer. Next slide please. As a long-standing contribution of the EADV in the field, with many EADV members having published papers, articles and editorials on the risk of skin cancer caused by sunbeds and the best practices to regulate them, you can see some of the references here.
And I think it's important to emphasize that what I present today is recommendations that are based on a broad scientific consensus and not just isolated findings. Next slide, please. So there's no question that there's overwhelming evidence that links skin cancer and sunbed use. The question, the real challenge is how we can use this knowledge to really limit the exposure of individuals to this unnecessary exposure and how to prevent and limit avoidable skin cancers or preventable skin cancers because of this.
Next slide. There's a lot of evidence now that suggests that sunbeds emit UV radiation, UVA and UVB, that causes DNA damage, causes genetic mutations and causes immunosuppression. We know also, next slide, next point, that UV radiation is a complete carcinogen. It influences carcinogenesis in all its phases. And next point, please.
There's now a clear relationship established among different levels of evidence: laboratory data, animal experiments, human studies and epidemiological studies, all clearly associating skin cancer to tanning bed use. Next slide, please.
And this is why esteemed scientific bodies such as the International Agency for the Research of Cancer have classified UV tanning facilities as a class one carcinogen, as able to cause cancer in the same way that class one carcinogens is also tobacco, arsenic and asbestos. And there are also other important scientific bodies such as the WHO and the Scientific Committee of the European Commission that conclude that there is no safe limit for exposure to UV radiation from sunbeds. But why is action on sunbeds really needed?
Well, there's a rising burden of skin cancer in Europe. Professor Lesiak already mentioned that. We're really living into an epidemic of skin cancer and melanoma, which is affecting many individuals worldwide. And we know from epidemiological studies that individuals who use tanning beds have a higher risk of developing skin cancer. You can see the rates and the risk of skin cancer for melanoma, for basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma.
And this is particularly prominent for women because women tend to use tanning beds much more frequently. In fact, next point please. There are studies now that show that if we use tanning beds in an earlier age, in adolescence for example, or during adult, young adulthood, then the risk for skin cancer increases, almost doubles. So that means that this is a vulnerable population that is especially prone to skin cancer and this is why indoor tanning is especially dangerous for minors. Next slide please.
Now the prevalence of indoor tanning you can see among different continents is quite high, despite the fact that there is awareness about sunbeds and the causes as a cause of skin cancer. However, we see that the numbers are quite high.
Next slide please also in Europe. We see here in this very nice map that there's an increased prevalence of the use of tanning beds particularly in countries and many countries as you can see with a dark red mark. What's I think the paradox is that you see countries such as Norway and Denmark for example with a high prevalence and you would expect that because there's not much sunlight there but you also see that countries like Spain and Italy also have a very high prevalence in in areas that natural sunlight is really abundant.
So that probably has to do not only with the presence of sunlight but also with cultural beliefs, with social norms, you know, with prevention campaigns and many different factors that are playing a role here. Next slide please. Also we live in the age of information and social media, so there are a lot of myths that are being reproduced through social media regarding sunbed use.
And one such myth is that tanning beds will give you a base tan or a pre-vacation tanning. But that's not the effective way of protecting skin. We know that the tanning that is produced by these devices is not really protective. It doesn't protect you. Your skin remains vulnerable even after this tan.
And there's also the notion that since you have a tan from these tanning beds that you can prevent further exposures and you don't need any sun precautions because of that. And this is also false. And that makes people more vulnerable to the effects of skin cancer. And there's also a lot of discussion recently about vitamin D and artificial tanning devices really being a strategy to replenish the levels of vitamin D, which is of course false.
It's not the right way of exposing oneself to a carcinogen when there are other more effective and more safe ways to do that. Next slide please. So, there is of course a growing understanding in many governments and many countries that there's a need to regulate better sunbeds. And I think there's also an increasing acceptance that we need to pay more attention to prevention than treatment.
Next slide please. And different countries use different approaches. You can see here that some countries like Australia and Brazil have completely banned tanning beds in the entire population. But there are other countries. Next point please.
And next point. And many European countries as you can see that have really made regulations and restrictions in the use of sunbed and have also restricted the use in in individuals below 18 years of age, what we call minors. Next slide please. So legislation is effective and it is feasible. But it's it's not the only way by just imposing an age limit.
We need a a framework, a legislative framework which is much more comprehensive. And you can see that there are many factors playing a role.
We need to take measures and precautions on devices and centers by registering tanning centers, by periodic technical inspections, by mandatory display of warnings on the devices. This is one way to approach this. We also need to approach the users and make sure that they all sign a consent form before using tanning devices, that they're all passing through a control that will allow to not put any risk to people who are photosensitive before they enter these devices. And there's also an important aspect in terms of advertisement, in prohibiting advertisement of tanning devices or prohibiting the advertisement of potential benefits of UV radiation, which we know is a carcinogen.
So we need all these factors to play in, and it's not just a one horizontal way of approaching by placing an age limit. Next slide, please. As you can see, the sunbed regulation across EU is fragmented, and 18 out of 27 member states have actually banned sunbeds from minors, but there's still nine member states that have not placed any bans, even in youth bans so far.
Next slide. Well, European Beating Cancer Plan included originally a recommendation in reducing exposure to UV radiation from sunbeds. That was a very promising aspect, particularly for all of us who are really working in this field. But in 2025, the Commission abandoned this initiative, citing a lack of evidence that further measures would add to the protection of EU citizens from health risks associated beyond the existing 2014 Low Voltage Directive, which is more focused on the consumer field.
Next slide. But what is important to remember is that this low voltage directive, even when these devices comply with the settings that are standard in this directive, it's still on the extreme side of UV radiation that can cause skin to burn within minutes. So even when they comply, even when we reach this current limit that is imposed by this directory, the skin can be severely damaged. And that's I think important not only from a public health issue or a health issue, but also for a consumer protection aspect.
Next slide. Of course, the momentum against sunbeds is growing. In many countries, we have a recent announcement of a ban on sunbeds for minors in Denmark in May 2025. It's almost done, as I hear, in Denmark. There's also the same direction in Ireland, following a report from the Irish Institute of Health.
And more importantly, a recommendation to never use sunbeds has been offered in the fifth European Code Against Cancer. So there's, I think, a good momentum that recognizes the dangers of this radiation coming from tanning beds.
Next slide. But it is time to to really harmonize our actions, and we call as EADV on EU institutions to really follow these important steps. The first is to liaise with national governments and parliaments to adopt a ban on sunbeds for minors. This is really an opportunity to do so and protect these vulnerable populations, and also in this context to support amendments in the EBCP initiative.
A second step is to pressure the Commission to resume the work on the recommendation on sunbed use. This is not the time for policy retreat. This is a time to renew action on a very, very specific subject. Also introducing a comprehensive legislation that can ensure sunbed safety and compliance. And also this would include restrictions on advertising.
And final step to promote prevention and awareness campaigns and initiatives on skin cancer risks on sunbeds. Next slide. So I think really the important message here is that sunbeds can cause skin cancer.
There's now a wealth of evidence. There's now a very clear burden of disease and we know that we have the effective measures of how to prevent this. We have the responsibility, I think, towards the next generations to really create a context that will protect individuals from this unnecessary carcinogenic exposure. And if we really want to be a leading cancer prevention in Europe, I think the sunbeds is really the best opportunity we have at this point to really translate all this evidence into public health action.
Adam Jarubas
Thank you Professor Stratigos. Thank you for your presentation. You mentioned partially about it but I'd like to ask how can the Parliament do more in the field of skin diseases and to integrate the matter of our public health policy making? In which specific fields of dermatology can we reinforce research and how can we integrate the outcome in addressing skin diseases, the scope of communicable and non-communicable diseases?
Aleksandra Lesiak
I think that first thank you for this question. I think that I just trying to to show the landscape of the skin diseases and I can go first of all for the cardiovascular health of our patients which is really important and now I know that you are working on it.
So I think the the cardiovascular risk assessment should be should be done in all patients suffering from inflammatory skin diseases as a a must have. It is so for the Commission and also for the Europarliament for for this for this cardiovascular strategy for EU. And for the another part, for example, for I know that now FEMM Commission for example and working on the inequalities in women to access to care, to clinical trials and to research because for example it's not equal access.
So also this this this angle for the female health would be very very interesting and needed for our patients. As you can see that maybe it wasn't mentioned, but for example, to to come back to the sunbeds, there was the the study in among 63 women who suffered from melanoma before their 30s and 97% of them were the using the sunbeds before they developed the cancer. So also this and also things how the hormonal disruptions can can influence many skin diseases as acne, as atopic dermatitis, for example.
And also I know that Sant already working on on this rare disease initiative and we have the very good NGO like ERN ERN so it's it's European Reference Network for rare diseases and they were founded almost 10 years ago and now that they are supporting till the next year. But I think this this it is we are talking about 36 millions of people in Europe suffering from rare disease so the keeping the ERN supported for funding for the research and access to care is also important.
And of course, what should be done, I'm showing you the mental health and stigma. So I think the mental health support should be like we have the access to care also guaranteed for dermatological patients. Because really our patients, I sometimes when now I'm talking maybe like advocate but like doctor, when I have my patients in my cabinet with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and chronic disease, they really need the psychologist at least and psychiatric help and need to be treated. So this check and support is really needed among them.
So sometimes I said I should have a neighbor as a psychiatrist next to my room just to be good and to cope with my patient. So the mental health. And of course, you know, they see what the globally WHO is doing. So I think the Europe is like this great opportunity to be here just make them visible because we are not cosmeticians. We are doctors taking care of very severe diseases, immunological diseases and skin cancer.
Skin cancers are really very important, not only because of melanoma, but what I can mention, keratinocytes cancers like BCC and SCC are really big, big, big economic issues.
So we when we just detect it early and when we'll be and just protect them from sunbeds, for example, we we also protect our money, the European money.
Alexander Stratigos
That's true. Yes, I fully agree and I think that the members of the European Parliament have have the influence and the power really to to influence many different aspects here in Brussels, but also on a national level because we have the knowledge now about how to prevent skin cancer. Skin cancer is one of those unique types of cancers which we can treat, we can detect early and we can prevent.
So this is not something you see in other types of cancer. And I think understanding this unique position we have to act on all these three levels, I think makes this quite unique. We are physicians that truly believe that we can reduce the burden of skin cancer. And it sometimes takes not only knowledge, but it also needs, we need action.
And already in the United States, where tanning beds have been banned in certain states, they are already seeing a reduction in the use of tanning beds, reduction of tanning beds, particularly by youths over the past three or four years. So we don't see yet a reduction in skin cancer, but by just imposing a ban in a very vulnerable patient population, we see a difference in the use, and then eventually we will see also a difference, also a reduction in the risk of skin cancer. So we're in a critical time point, I think, regarding skin cancer, and our action can really make a big difference at this point.
Stine Bosse
Thank you very much and unfortunately I will have to admit that you are now talking to somebody who did use sunbeds and who also suffered from melanoma and this is 20 years ago. But what I would like to ask you because I see everything that you are that you're trying to address here and I appreciate everything that you're saying especially also mentioning the ERN systems. They are so important and we need to keep on investing in these systems. But what I would like to ask you is the role here also of the pressure we're putting on ourselves and now I'm talking about social media. I'm talking about the fact that we and include me please, I go to Greece regularly and I am in the sun, I protect myself but I am in the sun and I love the tan.
How can we how can we talk about this in a different way? How can we not take away the fact that we like to have some tan but not have the dangerous tan? And now I'm also a grandmother of teenagers and what they do is they look at the level of sun and then they go out when it's highest. And I try to explain to them that's when you shouldn't go out but they say but this is where we get the highest tan. How can we what is what is your experience here and how can we support you in this commu- I mean huge communication task?
Alexander Stratigos
Well, this is a really difficult question, and thank you first of all, my respect and our respect for your personal account. But it's an important example that, you know, early detection makes a difference in terms of people's lives, and we can go one step further and really prevent this by recommending, you know, important measures.
I mean, often I feel that as dermatologists we sometimes creating the message that we shouldn't go out in the sun, we should not enjoy going outdoors. And this is not really the right message. We don't want people staying indoors. We want people to going out, enjoying, but always with a measured context, always with a protected way that will not allow an overexposure of the skin to, you know, these conditions that will predispose to skin cancer. I think we can enjoy this by the same way by protecting our skin with sunscreen, by applying a hat, and by going out and enjoying the way we do.
This is not always easy to introduce, so but we want a measured exposure, a moderate exposure, let's say, a protected exposure rather than overexposure that can create problems. And I think that's the message that we need to really convey. And of course, you know, you're right. Today's young individuals are so much influenced by many other things and not just the medical messages.
They're influenced by social media, by their peers, by anything. So it's going to be even harder to do so. But I also see other young individuals who are more careful, who understand the level of protection they need to have, who say, "Well, I know the sun is not good, I'm trying." So I think there's a battle there. And if we try to convey the right messages and not just measures that are, you know, totally impossible, I think we can gain more from that.
And that's that we need to work on that.
Aleksandra Lesiak
I would like just to add only that of course we can't live without sun. So it's not possible what professor already said. But what from again I'm as a pediatric dermatologist say that the education from the very beginning. So with we had one initiative which started the Netherlands Skin at School and maybe this initiative Skin at School we should teach children about what sun protection means. And of course the sunbeds are something which we really don't need for health system.
And sun of course we need but we should know how to protect and protect ourselves protect our children and and and you know just because this protection can save lives of our patients. So that Skin at School it's could be the initiative global initiative for Europe just to learn how to protect against sun.
Adam Jarubas
Thank you so much, professors, for your presentation. You proved that skin diseases deserve on the serious treatment, that a great work ahead of us in in raising awareness about the risks and we invite you to collaborate with with our committee.
Thank you.
Aleksandra Lesiak
Thank you so much for inviting us. It's really huge thing for us.
Adam Jarubas
Yeah, we'll share your slides so our our colleagues will receive your materials to to propagate it across Europe. Thank you so much.
Thank you very much.
Adam Jarubas
Dear colleagues, I have to speak out traditional form to close the meeting. Any other business? No business. Dear colleagues, we will have a joint SANT meeting on the Ebola virus outbreak in Central Africa, exchange of views with WHO and the European Commission at 5:30 in this place. Our next SANT meeting will take place on 24 and 25 of June.
Thank you all.
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the Committee on Public Health. We have a very full agenda today, so I'd like to get started right away. First, we'll be discussing the new proposal for a regulation on health technology assessment. This is a very important piece of legislation that will have a significant impact on the way that new medicines and medical devices are assessed and reimbursed in the European Union.
I'm pleased to welcome our rapporteur, Mr. So-and-so, who will present his draft report. Mr. So-and-so, you have the floor.
Adam Jarubas
Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you to all of my colleagues for their hard work on this file. As the Chair mentioned, this is a very important piece of legislation. The goal of this proposal is to improve the quality and consistency of health technology assessments across the EU, and to ensure that patients have faster access to innovative medicines and medical devices. My draft report focuses on a number of key areas, including the scope of the regulation, the methodology for joint clinical assessments, and the role of the European Medicines Agency.
I look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions.
Thank you, Mr. So-and-so. I'll now open the floor for discussion. Who would like to speak first?
Good morning, everyone. I'd like to welcome you to this meeting of the Committee on Public Health. We have a very full agenda today, so I'd like to get started right away. First, I'd like to ask if there are any apologies for absence. Yes, we have apologies from Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones.
Thank you. Now, I'd like to move on to the first item on our agenda, which is the approval of the minutes of our last meeting. Are there any comments or corrections to the minutes?
Yes, I have one small correction on page three. The name of the organization mentioned in the second paragraph should be the World Health Organization, not the World Health Federation.
Thank you for that correction. We will make sure that is updated. Are there any other comments or corrections? If not, can I have a motion to approve the minutes as amended?
I move to approve the minutes.
Thank you. Is there a second?
I second the motion.
All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The motion is carried.
Hello, hello, can you hear me?
Speaker 30
Great. So how's the sound, is the sound good, can you hear me correctly, is the camera good, and everything works?
Speaker 33
Great, perfect. Okay, so music.
We have German. German? English. French. Italian.
Danish.
Speaker 34
If you don't mind, give me a minute. I don't know why, but Interactio is extremely laggy. I'm just going to try to relaunch and see if it helps or not.
Okay, okay, no problem.
Speaker 43
In fact, I have Dutch instead of Danish. I mean, I have Danish as well, but Dutch and then Danish.
Speaker 45
Ah, okay. I will test planning because we have Danish instead of Dutch. Okay. Greek? Spanish?
Portuguese? Swedish? Czech? Lithuanian? Hungarian?
Polish? Bulgarian? Romanian? Croatian? Thank you everyone.
Speaker 46
Good afternoon, Mr. Holden. If you can hear us, can you please press on the mic and cam button so we'd just like to assess your sound for a minute. Thank you.
Good afternoon, Mr. Holden, if you can hear us, can you please press on the mic and cam button? We would like to assess your sound for a quick minute.
Speaker 46
Hello, hello, good afternoon.
Can you just speak a bit for us so we can hear you?
Holden
Yeah sure, testing the mic one two one two to be sure everything is set up correctly.
Speaker 46
Yes, do you think you could move the microphone a bit closer to you or just yeah, just make sure it's in front of you.
Speaker 51
Yeah, okay, so, can you hear me, this is WHO HQ in Geneva. Can you hear me loud and clear, testing the sound.
Speaker 46
Yes, yes, it will be good thank you. Do you have any questions for us about the platform or anything about the meeting?
Holden
No, it seems to be fine, I will not do the talking, it will be my boss, but I'm just testing the connection and everything. It seems to be fine for me, so no worries.
Thank you, bye bye.
Adam Jarubas
Good morning, everyone. I'd like to welcome you to this meeting of the Committee on Public Health. We have a very full agenda today, so I'd like to get started right away. First, I'd like to ask if there are any apologies for absence. Yes, I see a few hands.
We have apologies from Mr. Smith, Ms. Jones, and Mr. Brown. Are there any other apologies? No? Okay, then we'll move on to the next item on the agenda, which is the approval of the minutes of our last meeting. Are there any comments or corrections to the minutes?
Yes, Mr. Green.
Thank you, Madam Chair. On page three, in the second paragraph, it says that I supported the proposal for a new tax on sugary drinks. In fact, I said that I was open to the idea, but that I wanted to see more evidence of its effectiveness before making a final decision. I'd like the minutes to be corrected to reflect that.
Thank you, Mr. Green. We'll make that correction.
Good morning, everyone. I would like to welcome you to this meeting of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. I would like to remind you that the meeting is being webstreamed and that interpretation is available in twenty-two languages. I would also like to remind you that the meeting is being held in a hybrid format, with some members present in the room and others participating remotely.
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