Inside EU Health

Inside EU Health: Tobacco taxation; Biotech Act; climate change; Bundibugyo; exercise

EU finance ministers seek tobacco tax deal amid Swedish and Spanish reservations; patients’ group warns of exclusion from EU Biotech Act talks; six climate measures could save 1.6 million lives annually; WHO backs two new vaccine candidates against Bundibugyo; adolescent physical activity

Physical activity

One in four adolescents worldwide report no active days in a week

WHO warns one in four adolescents worldwide reports no active days, urging government action

Biotech Act

Patients’ group warns of exclusion from EU Biotech Act talks

The European Patients’ Forum (EPF) has criticised its limited involvement in negotiations on the EU Biotech Act, warning that patients’ concerns about clinical trials, medicine prices and access to treatments are not being sufficiently considered as MEPs finalise their positions. EPF raised its concerns during a meeting with MEPs Vytenis

Bundibugyo

WHO backs two new vaccine candidates as Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak spreads

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended adding two experimental vaccines to clinical trials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as the country battles a deadly Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 5,000 people. “WHO expert groups are recommending adding two vaccine candidates to the

Climate change

Six climate measures could save 1.6 million lives annually

WHO says six climate measures could save 1.6 million lives annually while cutting emissions and delivering trillions in benefits

Tobacco

EU finance ministers seek tobacco tax deal

EU finance ministers will seek a compromise on revised tobacco taxation rules at Monday’s ECOFIN amid Swedish and Spanish reservations

Inside EU Health

Inside EU Health: MFN; tobacco lobbying; social media; inequality; ageing; AI

EU must defend its medicines pricing model against US pressure, Belgian minister argues; Smoke Free Partnership reveals sharp rise in tobacco industry lobbying; EU defends 12-month delay to national social media bans; poverty takes a toll on health across the EU; WHO/Europe on AI and healthy ageing

Most Favored Nation

EU must defend its medicines pricing model against US pressure, Belgian minister argues

The paper calls for EU-level solutions to US drug pricing pressure, including possible use of the Anti-Coercion Instrument.

EU Kids Act

EU defends 12-month delay to national social media bans amid Austrian backlash

The European Commission on Friday (30 October) defended its decision to delay national legislation restricting children's access to social media for 12 months, insisting that a harmonised EU-wide approach is essential to protect minors and prevent fragmentation of the EU’s digital single market. The decision sparked

Tobacco

Smoke Free Partnership reveals sharp rise in tobacco industry lobbying

New research by the Smoke Free Partnership reveals a sharp rise in tobacco industry lobbying ahead of the revision of EU tobacco laws

Poverty

Poverty takes a toll on health across the EU

Eurostat figures show that people at risk of poverty are significantly more likely to experience health-related difficulties

Inside EU Health

Inside EU Health: Tech transfer; Ebola; Shamonda; heat deaths; GDP post-COVID; UK inquiry

EPO study exposes gaps in patent funding; EMA and AMA call for accelerated Ebola vaccine trials; ECDC reports first human case of Shamonda virus; Climate change linked to 32,600 heat deaths in 2026; which EU regions’ GDP exceeded pre-pandemic levels?; UK COVID Inquiry - Adult Care

Patents

EPO study exposes gaps in patent funding

A new EPO study highlights gaps in patent funding, long-term protection and technology transfer capacity that could hinder Europe’s ability to commercialize academic research

Climate change

Climate change linked to 32,600 heat deaths across Europe in summer 2026

A new study estimates that human-induced global warming contributed to 65% of the 50,391 heat-related deaths recorded in its model of Europe's exceptionally hot summer

Ebola

African and European Regulators call for accelerated Ebola vaccine trials

The African Medicines Agency and European Medicines Agency have issued joint guidance to accelerate clinical trials of Bundibugyo vaccines

Shamonda

ECDC reports first human case of Shamonda virus

The ECDC reports the first known human case of Shamonda virus in France

Inside EU Health

Inside EU Health: EMA; competitiveness; response to MFN; West Nile Virus;  EU/Mexico; Sanofi; EU4Health

EMA recommendations; De Wever urges EU integration to better compete; US most-favored nation; Record-high West Nile virus infections reported amid spread north; EU/Mexico; Sanofi; EU4Health 2026 budget approved

EMA

EMA recommends six medicines, including one fast-tracked through phased review

EMA backs six new medicines as phased review cuts pancreatic cancer drug assessment to under 150 days

Competitiveness

De Wever urges EU integration to boost pharma competitiveness

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has urged the EU to protect its competitive pharmaceutical industry against US investment pressure and subsidised Chinese competition

Most Favored Nation

European Parliament to press Commission and Council over US drug pricing policies

The European Parliament’s Public Health (SANT) Committee adopted two oral questions on Thursday (15 October), calling on both the European Commission and the Council of the European Union to address the impact of US pharmaceutical pricing policies on access to medicines in Europe. Led by Danish Renew Europe MEP

West Nile Virus

Record-high West Nile virus infections reported amid spread north

West Nile virus has reached 19 European countries during a record-breaking season, with climate change and longer, hotter summers increasing the risk of further spread

Mexico

EU and Mexico deepen health cooperation at first high-level dialogue

The EU and Mexico have launched their first High-Level Dialogue on Health, advancing cooperation on disease prevention and medicines

Competition

EU accepts Sanofi commitments in flu vaccine disparagement case

Sanofi commits to correcting misleading claims about a rival flu vaccine in France and Germany, with EU oversight continuing until 2030

EU4Health

EU4Health 2026 approved: NGOs welcome return of operating grants despite 80% cut

EU member states finally approved over €680 million in EU4Health funding for 2026; NGOs welcome the return of operating grants despite an 80% cut from 2024 levels

Inside EU Health

Inside EU Health: EU/Africa; clinical trials; JCA; French pharma; Russia; climate and health; Nobel Prize

Inside EU Health: EU/Africa; clinical trials; French pharma welcomes pricing agreement; EU monitoring of pneumonia death in Irkutsk; climate and health pledge; ERC-funded scientist among winners of 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine