Inside EU Health: Parliament pushes for bolder CMA; cardiovascular disease costs 2% EU GDP; EU backs rapid ‘test-before-treat’ diagnostic
Parliament pushes for a more ambitious and European Critical Medicines Act; report estimates that cardiovascular disease costs the EU 2% of GDP; and Commission backs rapid ‘Test Before Treat’ technology to reduce misuse of antibiotics
Parliament pushes for a more ambitious and European approach to the Critical Medicines Act
The European Parliament’s public health committee has endorsed compromise amendments to the Critical Medicines Act, setting out a more ambitious approach than member states.
This evening (15 December), the European Parliament’s Public Health Committee (SANT) voted on compromise amendments that have been hammered out over recent weeks.
The amendments were adopted with 27 votes in favour, one against, and eight abstentions. The parliament wants to extend the scope of collaborative and joint procurement beyond the critical medicines list and wants the Commission to play a stronger co-ordinating role regarding stockpiling.
“Today’s vote is a defining moment for Europe’s health security. We are tackling persistent shortages and reducing our dependence on a limited number of external suppliers,” said MEP Tomislav Sokol (EPP, Croatia), the lead rapporteur.
Catherine Feore
Cardiovascular disease is estimated to cost the EU 2% of GDP
Ahead of tomorrow’s ‘Safe Hearts Plan’ on cardiovascular disease, the Commission released a report that shows the heavy toll on Europe’s health and its pockets.
The ‘State of Cardiovascular Health in the EU’ report shows that one in three deaths is caused by cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This makes CVDs the EU’s largest cause of death (1.7 million deaths in 2022) and affects an estimated 62 million people.
“The State of the Cardiovascular Health in the EU report comes at a crucial moment,” said Health Commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi. “[It] underpins the urgent need for the ‘Safe Hearts Plan’ to reverse trends that point towards a doubling of cardiovascular diseases by 2050.”
The cost of CVDs is estimated at €282 billion - equivalent to around 2% of GDP - underscoring that CVDs are “not only a health crisis, but a major strain on Europe’s economies and societies.”
On a per capita basis, CVD-related costs averaged €630 per EU citizen.
The impact across the EU is uneven, with Central and Eastern European countries, for example, having higher mortality rates compared to Western and Southern European countries.
There is also a gender difference. Mortality rates are higher in men than in women across EU countries, reducing life expectancy for men more drastically; however, more women than men die from CVD overall because they live longer in general, reaching age groups where CVD is the leading cause of death.
Catherine Feore
Commission backs ‘Test Before Treat’ technology
The European Commission has announced an investment of €8.85 million in an innovative diagnostic to enable rapid point-of-care diagnosis. The EU4Health-funded contract will help clinicians choose appropriate treatments and, hopefully, reduce antibiotic use.
“Antimicrobial resistance is already costing lives and placing real strain on Europe’s health systems. Too often, doctors must prescribe antibiotics without having fast and accurate diagnostic answers,” said Preparedness and Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib. “Investing in rapid diagnostics gives them the means to treat with precision.”
General practices and hospitals are usually dependent on slow diagnostic tests requiring specialized laboratories. In the absence of a clear diagnosis, the prescriber often has to recommend broader-based treatments, which increase costs and worsen AMR.
The new device will determine whether there is a bacterial or viral infection, identify the type of bacteria, and assess which antibiotics will be most effective. The diagnosis takes under an hour and can be done on site, whether in a general practitioner’s office, hospital emergency department or pharmacy;
The four-year contract has been awarded to five partners: ShanX MedTech B.V. (Netherlands), Aidian Oy (Finland), Biosurfit S.A. (Portugal), Unitron B.V. (Netherlands), and Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal (Spain).