The Gastein Health Conference has commenced in Austria, and on its first day, Greg Stanton, President of the European Health Association, called for more actions regarding rare diseases and cancer. Stanton highlighted the serious challenges that European health systems face and stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of health policies.
The Need for Immediate Action in Health Policies
In his speech, Stanton stated, "We are living in challenging times, and I see that we are not sufficient to change the situation." He pointed to the slow implementation of policies and inefficiency in responding to major challenges such as climate change and health security. He also asserted that Europe has the ideas and technical skills necessary to tackle existing problems but faces difficulties in executing them.
The Impact of U.S. Health Policies
Stanton referred to the impact of changing U.S. health policies on global investments, stating that pharmaceutical companies are increasing their investments in China. He emphasized that health systems in Europe can only rely on each other if countries are willing to pay more for pharmaceutical products. According to him, "If you want to maintain the supply of these products, you must be willing to pay more for them."
As the Gastein Health Conference continues, the pharmaceutical industry is expected to play a significant role in discussions focusing on health security and access to medicines.
Agreement on Cancer Report
On Monday, members of the health committee approved the cancer report and called for specific funding for prevention and equal access to screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer across the European Union. This report faced significant criticism due to its language regarding alcohol.
European Parliament representatives are also seeking to pass legislation to improve the diagnosis of rare cancers and emphasize patient care. This initiative aims to ensure equal access to treatment and increase attention to the issues faced by rare disease patients.
Criticism of Alcohol Event at the European Congress
Civil groups have protested against an event in the European Parliament regarding the role of wine in health policies, deeming it "inappropriate" and "unseemly." This event coincides with World Heart Day, and civil groups argue that such events allow commercial interests to influence health policymaking in the European Union.
Public health groups also believe that holding such events on a day dedicated to raising awareness about heart diseases is completely inappropriate.
