Inside EU Health: Swiss rejoin Horizon, EU/Latin America health cooperation and Nordic study confirms flu vaccine effectiveness in the elderly

Switzerland rejoining Horizon Europe, a boon to life sciences

The Swiss have regained access to the EU’s main research programme. Swiss researchers and organizations will have full access to EU funding and participation rights, retroactively applied to the start of 2025.

Looking ahead, Switzerland is also preparing to join EU4Health, the EU’s flagship health programme, once an agreement on health enters into force. EU4Health aims to strengthen health systems, improve preparedness for cross-border health threats, and foster medical innovation.

EU and Latin America strengthen cooperation on health preparedness

The EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have signed a cooperation arrangement to enhance joint readiness against cross-border health threats.

The agreement, which is valid for five years, establishes a framework for collaboration on research and development, as well as the exchange of best practices. It also aims to strengthen supply chains and ensure equitable access to critical medical countermeasures, including vaccines, therapeutics, and protective equipment.

“Stronger cooperation is the best defence against the next health crisis,” said Preparedness and Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib. “This agreement makes sure no region is left alone when an emergency hits.”

EMA-funded study confirms flu vaccine offers strong protection for the elderly

A new European Medicines Agency-backed study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe shows that influenza vaccines provided strong protection for older adults during the 2024/25 flu season. Researchers followed more than 1.1 million older people across Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, finding that vaccination reduced the risk of influenza-related death by 63% and hospitalization by 47% among people aged 65 and older.

The study also compared different types of influenza vaccines and showed evidence that boosted vaccines containing adjuvants and higher doses appear to be more effective. 

These findings underscore the importance of ongoing vaccination efforts for older populations, who are particularly susceptible to influenza complications.

Flu season starts early in the UK

Flu cases are increasing across England, particularly among children and young adults, according to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Although the school half-term break briefly slowed transmission, further increases are expected in the coming weeks as hospitalisations rise. 

“Flu continues to increase among younger people despite the school half-term break… it’s more important than ever that those eligible for a free flu vaccine come forward,” said  UKHSA Consultant Epidemiologist Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal.

UKHSA is urging everyone eligible, including: over-65s, pregnant women, and young children, to get vaccinated ahead of the winter peak.