Public Health Policy in the EU

Latest news about Public Health Policy in the European Union

EU mercury strategy — 25 September 2008, 20:02 CET

European Commission website on the various European Union initiatives to protect EU citizens' health and the environment from the dangers of mercury.

EU ban on mercury exports - briefing — 25 September 2008, 20:07 CET

Latest news, background information and web links about environment policy in the European Union.

EU to ban export of mercury on health grounds — 25 September 2008, 20:08 CET

The export of mercury will be banned in the European Union from 2011 in order to reduce health risks, the European Commission has announced.

EU unveils action plan to combat drug abuse — 18 September 2008, 16:46 CET

The European Commission unveiled Thursday a new action plan for tackling drug abuse, with cocaine consumption in Europe on the rise.

EU funds study of the origins of milk consumption in Europe — 09 September 2008, 00:31 CET

An EU-funded project coordinated by Uppsala University in Sweden will study the origins and significance of lactose tolerance in Europe. The project, called LECHE ('Lactase persistence and the early cultural history of Europe'), is a training network with 13 participating universities in Europe. It will receive EUR 3.3 million over four years from the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

EU funds heart project — 27 August 2008, 00:26 CET

The EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) has awarded EUR 14 million to a 4-year project, euHeart, for the improvement of the diagnosis, therapy and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The consortium comprises public and private partners from 16 research, academic, industrial and medical organisations from 6 European countries.

Bluetongue virus strain identified — 18 August 2008, 23:43 CET

An international team of scientists including both European institutes and an institute in South Africa has identified the strain of bluetongue that threatened European livestock in 2006-2007. The strain is believed to have originated in sub-Saharan Africa.

'Fire safe' cigarettes to go on sale in Europe by 2011 — 05 August 2008, 16:57 CET

All cigarettes sold throughout the European Union will be self-extinguishing "fire-safe" brands by 2011, the EU Commission said on Tuesday.

New guidelines for handling hay fever — 29 July 2008, 18:35 CET

Allergic rhinitis is one of the world's most common chronic diseases with over 600 million people affected across the globe. Now, thanks to the cooperative efforts of GA2LEN, Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, new guidelines have been drafted on the diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis.

More evidence for green tea and cardiovascular risk link — 27 July 2008, 10:18 CET

What is so special about green tea? Experts say this tea, which is rich in catechin polyphenols (i.e. compounds that have antioxidant activity), helps lower bad cholesterol levels, kills cancer cells and fights heart disease. New research by a team at the University of Athens Medical School in Greece adds more weight to the latter, highlighting that drinking green tea (Camellia sinesis) improves the function of endothelial cells lining the circulatory system. When endothelial cells dysfunction, atherosclerosis advances, thus increasing cardiovascular risk. The findings were recently published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation.

EU-PRIME okays EUR 7.56m work plan for Nigeria — 27 July 2008, 10:12 CET

The European Commission Delegation to Nigeria has given a thumbs up on the final work plan, the so-called 'Programme Estimate', for the European Union-Partnership to Reinforce Immunisation Efficiency (EU-PRIME) project, valued at €7.56 million against the first instalment of €2.3 million.

First call for Innovative Medicines Initiative a success — 23 July 2008, 00:19 CET

The first stage of calls for the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), which is supported by the EU with EUR 1 billion in funding, was recently closed and is already being regarded as a success by many of those involved.

Excise duty on tobacco products - guide — 16 July 2008, 22:51 CET

News, background information and web links about the public health policy of the European Union.

European Health Insurance Card - guide — 16 July 2008, 11:36 CET

News, background information and web links about the public health policy of the European Union.

Sunscreen products - EU guide — 16 July 2008, 11:30 CET

Latest news, background information and web links about consumer policy and the rights of consumer in the European Union.

Back pain burns holes in European pockets — 09 July 2008, 23:45 CET

While people may think back pain is not completely selective in whom and more specifically which pocketbook it affects, a number of parameters may actually form the basis of the problem. A new German study, so-called 'Bottom-up', shows that gender, age, education and marital status may potentially affect the costs induced by back pain. For example, in just 12 months, the researchers found that more than two thirds of the German adult population suffers from back pain.

WBank-EU health project targets Vietnam ethnic minorities — 09 July 2008, 11:49 CET

The World Bank Wednesday announced a health project for poor ethnic minorities in remote Vietnamese mountain regions, backed with an 11.45 million euro (17.96 million dollar) EU grant.

Help in sight for sufferers of Crohn's disease — 01 July 2008, 23:37 CET

An international team of researchers has identified 21 new genetic risk factors for Crohn's disease, bringing the total number of genes linked with the disease to 32. The findings may one day help researchers to develop new treatments for the disease.

European businesses not ready for potential flu pandemic — 13 June 2008, 17:18 CET

Businesses in Europe are not sufficiently prepared for a potential flu pandemic. This is the key finding of a new report entitled 'Business continuity planning and pandemic influenza in Europe', published by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

More disease outbreaks in Europe with climate change — 12 June 2008, 17:23 CET

Europe could face an increase in outbreaks of diseases carried by insects and rodents as the climate on the continent becomes hotter and wetter, EU health experts said on Thursday.

Animal by-products - guide — 11 June 2008, 00:37 CET

Latest news, background information and web links about food safety policy in the European Union.

Identifying Alzheimer's at an early stage — 11 June 2008, 00:01 CET

There are many different forms of dementia, but Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent and covers 50% to 70% of all dementia cases. At the moment there is no cure and no definite known cause. A new EU-funded project, PredictAD, is now underway; its mission is to develop diagnostic tools to predict Alzheimer's as early as possible.

EuroGentest already helping patients across Europe — 04 June 2008, 00:44 CET

Patients across the EU and associated states suffering from genetic conditions are already benefiting from work conducted within the framework of the EU-funded EuroGentest network of excellence (NoE), according to the network's coordinator and president elect of the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG), Professor Jean-Jacques Cassiman. His comments were made during this year's European Human Genetics Conference, which ended on 3 June in Barcelona.

Vets from 26 EU nations oppose lifting US chicken ban — 03 June 2008, 16:19 CET

Veterinary experts from 26 of the 27 EU member states are opposed to poultry washed in chlorine and support an import ban on US chicken, European officials said on Tuesday.

EU contributes EUR 40 million to fight against infectious diseases — 02 June 2008, 20:40 CET

The European Commission has promised EUR 40 million in funding to the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). The amount signifies half of the EUR 80 million that the EDCTP has approved for research into the prevention of poverty-related diseases in Africa.