Inside EU Health: Preparedness; avian flu; child cancer medicines; doctors call for AI safeguards; Covid vaccine and sudden death

MEPs warn of growing urgency in talks on preparedness

In a joint Environment (ENVI) and Public Health (SANT) committee meeting (24 March), MEPs discussed the draft report on the proposed EU Civil Protection and Health Emergency Preparedness Mechanism (UCPM). The initiative reflects a growing recognition that modern crises - ranging from climate-related disasters to pandemics - require a more integrated and flexible response framework.

At the heart of the proposal is the creation of a single instrument that brings together civil protection and health emergency preparedness under one umbrella. The proposal allocates 40% to civil protection, 40% to health emergency preparedness, and the remaining 20% to a flexible reserve designed to address unforeseen challenges.

During the discussions, MEPs emphasised the urgent need to shift from reactive crisis management to a more proactive approach centered on preparedness and prevention.

“We would like to emphasize the importance of prevention, particularly in relation to health threats, through a One Health approach,” said Tilly Metz MEP (Greens, Luxembourg).

Some MEPs pointed to the need to ensure that the needs of more vulnerable groups were addressed. “It is very important to have health in all aspects of crisis preparedness, so that we can ensure everybody is treated, and that we have the right capacity for our healthcare systems,” said MEP Christophe Clergeau MEP (S&D, France).

Sirpa Pietikäinen MEP (EPP, Finland) said the health threats were “highly underestimated… within 10 years there are going to be new diseases, heat waves and nutrition deficiencies, and this will overload our health systems.”

The draft report is still a work in progress. MEPs will table amendments in the coming months, with votes scheduled for Autumn. These next steps will be crucial in shaping the mechanism's final structure and determining how effectively it can address the EU’s evolving risk landscape.

First human case of Avian Influenza A(H9N2) reported in EU

A human case of avian influenza A(H9N2) has been confirmed in Lombardy, northern Italy, marking the first such infection reported in the EU/EEA. The patient, a traveller returning from a non-European country where the virus circulates in birds, is hospitalised in isolation and receiving treatment for underlying health conditions.

Italian health authorities have launched contact tracing and epidemiological investigations as a precaution. Globally, 195 human cases have been recorded since 1998, mostly in Asia and Africa, with only two fatalities and no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission.

Experts say infections are typically linked to contact with infected birds or contaminated environments. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) assesses the risk to the general public as very low but continues to monitor developments.

EMA seeks feedback on paediatric cancer drug development

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is calling for stakeholder input on a new concept paper aimed at improving how potential new cancer treatments are evaluated for children. The agency’s Paediatric Committee reports a growing shift toward paediatric investigation plans based on a drug’s mechanism of action, rather than its adult use.

This trend increases reliance on non-clinical proof-of-concept data to decide whether medicines should advance to trials in children. The draft paper outlines recommendations for generating and assessing such data, including a proposed weight-of-evidence approach and structured stakeholder consultation.

The EMA is inviting feedback from developers, researchers, healthcare professionals and patients. The consultation deadline is 30 June 2026.

European doctors reject ‘move fast and break things’ approach to AI

In response to proposed changes under the Digital Omnibus, the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) has called for medical devices and in vitro diagnostics to remain firmly regulated under the AI Act, as high-risk systems.

CPME President Dr Ole Johan Bakke stressed that the tech industry’s mindset to ‘move fast and break things’ cannot be applied to medical innovation. While acknowledging the need to boost Europe’s competitiveness, he cautioned that harming “patients’ lives and public trust… will ultimately inhibit the uptake of AI in healthcare.”

Doctors are also concerned that the accelerated legislative process risks becoming “reckless and undemocratic deregulation without proper scrutiny,” potentially excluding key voices such as healthcare professionals and ethicists.

Experts highlight that not all AI systems are alike. Professor Dr Christian Lovis said, “deep learning algorithms for image recognition are distinct from generative AI systems such as medical scribe applications”. He said that strict safeguards and human oversight is needed.

CPME insists that strong clinical evidence must remain central. As Dr Péter Álmos emphasised, “direct clinical evidence… is essential to ensure patient safety and maintain public trust.”

Major study finds no link between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden death

A large study from Ontario, published in PLOS Medicine, found no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination increases the risk of sudden cardiac death in healthy people aged 12–50.

Analysing over 6 million individuals, researchers found that vaccinated individuals were not at a higher risk. In fact, some analyses suggested vaccination reduced risk. Multiple methods consistently showed no increase in sudden death following vaccination.

These findings directly contradict widespread misinformation claiming that COVID-19 vaccines cause sudden death in young adults. While rare side effects like myocarditis exist, the study confirms they do not translate into higher mortality.

Overall, the evidence is clear: COVID-19 vaccines are not associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, helping put persistent public fears to rest.