The coronavirus has taken a heavy toll on our lives, our economies, our societies but also on electoral processes around the world, with many elections being postponed in order to protect citizens’ health. But this involves a delicate balancing act between ensuring the democratic right to vote and a government’s responsibility to protect public health. So, what can we learn from experience?

EPRS policy podcast - Impact of the pandemic on elections around the world: From safety concerns to political crises

With no reliable prognosis or effective treatment, dementia is a growing public health concern in Europe and world-wide...But what if artificial intelligence applications could help advance the science on dementia?

EPRS STOA podcast - What if AI could advance the science surrounding dementia?

Our longtime use - and abuse…- of antibiotics in humans, agricultural livestock management, and food production has led to an increased threat of antimicrobial resistance, making us all more vulnerable to infectious diseases… But what if the answer lied in probiotics?

EPRS STOA podcast - What if we could fight antibiotic resistance with probiotics?

Images of half-empty supermarket shelves are becoming all too common as European countries struggle to limit the effects of the coronavirus, a pandemic that has changed what everyday life looks like for everyone… So, what is the EU doing to protect the agri-food supply chain and ensure food security during the pandemic?

EPRS policy podcast - Protecting the EU agri-food supply chain in the face of COVID-19

Organ donation and transplantation saves lives… thousands of lives! And while some countries have seen encouraging increases in donation rates, in others transplantation rates have been stagnating or even decreasing…Responsibility for heath policies lies primarily with the Member States, but how can the EU bolster cooperation to save even more lives?

EPRS policy podcast - Organ donation and transplantation: Facts, figures and European Union action

The coronavirus crisis has highlighted the EU’s dependency on countries outside its borders for the production of many active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicines. It is not a new problem… but it has become painfully exposed in the past weeks. So, why is that? And what can the EU do about it? Never a debate has been timelier!

EPRS policy podcast - Addressing shortages of medicines

As COVID-19 has proved once again, diseases do not recognise borders… So, with labs around the world on the race to find a vaccine, it is time to ask ourselves the question: What can the EU do to help? Is there a European added value concerning vaccination?

EPRS policy podcast - Towards a joint European approach on vaccination

Apart from taking thousands of lives… COVID-19 has revealed one hard truth: the EU’s dependency on other countries for essential medical equipment such as protective masks and gloves, but also respiratory ventilators. The EU and its Member States have acted swiftly to counter these shortages… but Europe may need to re-think its production and trade priorities if it doesn’t want to find itself in the same situation when the next pandemic strikes!

EPRS policy podcast - EU imports and exports of medical equipment

Cancer is currently the second leading cause of mortality in the EU, after cardiovascular diseases. In 2024, around 2.7 million people were diagnosed with cancer in the EU and around 1.27 million died. World Cancer Day takes place every year on 4 February. The three-year “United by unique” campaign (2025-2027) aims to raise awareness of the importance of people-centred care.

Though public health is the primary responsibility of the Member States, the EU has a strong role in supporting, coordinating and complementing Member States’ efforts. On 4 February 2020 – World Cancer Day – the European Commission started its outreach on Europe’s Cancer Plan at an event in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Established in the 2021 Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, EU action focuses on prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and quality of life for cancer patients, survivors and care, through 10 flagship initiatives.

The Plan aims to reduce the cancer burden for patients and families, and health care systems. The Plan is ambitious in addressing cancer-related inequalities between and in the Member States. The European Parliament, as law-maker and policy-maker, plays an active role in shaping the new Cancer Plan and related legislative proposals and policy initiatives.

Fight against cancer

EU member states are responsible for organising and delivering health services and medical care. The EU’s role in health policy is therefore complementary to national policies.

EU policies and actions in public health aim to: protect and improve the health of EU citizens, support the modernisation of health infrastructure,improve the efficiency of Europe's health systems,strengthen preparedness and response measures to cross-border health threats.

In the field of health the EU adopts laws and recommendations to protect people, covering for example health products and patients' rights.

Coordination on public health issues is a necessary consequence of the free movement of people and goods in the internal market. EU cooperation in public health issues serves to tackle common health challenges resulting for example from antimicrobial resistance, preventable chronic diseases and an aging population.

EU health policy

The EU4Health programme is a comprehensive response to the political demand to reflect the lessons learned from both the coronavirus crisis and previous health programmes.

On 28 May 2020, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a regulation on the establishment of a programmefor the Union's action in the field of health for the 2021-2027 period (EU4Health programme). It was announced as part of the Next Generation EU recovery instrument, aimed at countering the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

EU4Health is intended to boost the EU's preparedness for major cross-border health threats and improve health systems' resilience. This should enable the EU to face not only future epidemics, but also long-term challenges such as an ageing population and inequalities in health.

EU4Health

In 2017, the Parliament adopted a Resolution on options for improving access to medicines. The Treaty of Lisbon has enhanced the importance of health policy, stipulating that ‘a high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Community policies and activities’.

Primary responsibility for health protection and, in particular, the healthcare systems continues to lie with the Member States. However, the EU has an important role to play in improving public health, preventing and managing diseases, mitigating sources of danger to human health, and harmonising health strategies between Member States. The EU has successfully implemented a comprehensive policy, through the Health Strategy ‘Health for Growth’ and its action programme (2014-2020) and a body of secondary legislation.

Healthcare safety (2019-2020)

Mental health has become a major issue of public health, economic and social concern across the whole EU. The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis have placed a huge strain on everyone's mental health (higher rates of stress, anxiety and depression), with a  severe impact on vulnerable populations, with inequalities in mental health, both within the population and between social groups. Young people's mental health has particularly suffered.
In its last resolution of 5 July 2022 on mental health in the digital world of work, Parliament pointed out that 64 % of young people between 18 and 34 were at risk of depression in 2021, due to a lack of employment and financial and educational prospects, as well as loneliness and social isolation.

World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health

Press conference on Strengthening the availability and security of supply of critical medicinal products

EP Plenary session - Framework for strengthening the availability and security of supply of critical medicinal products and medicinal products of common interest

EP Plenary session - Presentation of the Chemicals Package

EP Plenary session - Presentation of the proposal on Critical Medicines Act (CMA)

EP Plenary session - The need to address urgent labour shortages and ensure quality jobs in the health care sector

EP Plenary session - World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health

EP Plenary session - Urgent need to revise the medical devices regulation

EP Plenary session - Short presentations

Tomislav SOKOL (EPP, HR), rapporteur, holds a press conference on strengthening the availability and security of supply of critical medicinal products. The report, adopted with 503 votes in favour, 57 against and 108 abstentions, aims to ensure a high level of public health protection for EU citizens by reducing the dependency of the EU on other countries and boosting the competitiveness of its pharmaceutical sector. Parliament is now ready to start negotiations with EU governments on the final shape of the law. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press Conference by Tomislav SOKOL (EPP, HR), rapporteur on Strengthening the availability and security of supply of critical medicinal products

This infoclip illustrates the pharmaceutical industry and represents the revision of the EU's basic pharmaceutical legislation, including medicines for children and for rare diseases. The Pharma package's aim is to better meet patient needs, boost Europe’s competitiveness and support innovation. It is dedicated to pharmaceutical packaging, drug delivery systems and the innovation in healthcare technologies.

Infoclip: EU health policy - medicines and pharma rules

MEPs discuss World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health, during the plenary session in Strasbourg. Closing statement by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life

World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health: closing statement by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life

MEPs discuss World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health, during the plenary session in Strasbourg.

World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health: MEPs debate (part 2)

World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health: MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs discuss World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health, during the plenary session in Strasbourg. Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

World Mental Health Day - need for a comprehensive EU strategy on mental health: opening statement by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life

MEPs vote on the following subjects: Implementation report on Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods - Metz; Protection of the European Union’s financial interests - combating fraud - annual report 2022 - Grapini; Shaping the EU’s position on the UN binding instrument on business and human rights, in particular on access to remedy and the protection of victims - Hautala; Impact of illegal fishing on food security – the role of the European Union - Melo;

Voting Session - Part 1

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that cooperation, resource-sharing and efficient decision-making are crucial in fighting cross-border health threats. The EU is building a strong European health union to equip EU countries to better prevent and combat future health threats together and to better protect the health of EU citizens. The European health union is designed to improve the resilience of healthcare systems in the EU and create robust EU-level structures enabling us to better cooperate on data pooling and information sharing.

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