|
| | Hello
It’s World Diabetes Day and the European Parliament’s András Kulja (EPP, Hungary) and Christel Schaldemose (S&D, Denmark) will announce that they are renewing an interest group for diabetes.
The International Diabetes Federation have released a survey that reveals the toll that the condition places on mental health. |
| Give us your feedback!
As a Euractiv Pro subscriber we value your opinion and want to make your daily Health Pro Brief as useful and relevant as possible.
If you have a few minutes, complete our survey and let us know how we’re doing. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | MEPs unveil plan to renew parliament interest group on World Diabetes Day |
| Marking World Diabetes Day, MEPs András Kulja (EPP, Hungary) and Christel Schaldemose (S&D, Denmark) will announce that they are renewing an interest group for diabetes, at an event hosted by the International Diabetes Federation.
The group, dubbed the Mobilising for Diabetes (MMD) Interest Group, is a “vital platform” for “working toward reducing health inequalities, improving access to essential medicines and technologies, and eliminating stigma against people living with diabetes,” said Schaldemose.
“The MMD Interest Group is essential in addressing the broader implications of diabetes within EU policy. It is vital that we work together, both now and in the future, to develop practical and impactful solutions that make a real difference in people's lives,” said MEP Kulja.
During the event, the MEPs will discuss the connections between diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, as well as obesity, kidney, and neurological diseases.
In Europe, at least 64 million adults and around 300,000 children and adolescents are estimated to be living with diabetes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). [EP] Back to the top |
| | Mental health burden of diabetes reveals 79% experience burnout from managing condition |
| A survey carried out by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) found that 77% of people living with diabetes have experienced anxiety, depression, or another mental health condition because of their diabetes.
“‘According to our latest estimates, over half a billion people are currently living with diabetes, with one in eight people set to be affected by 2045,” said President of the International Diabetes Federation Professor Peter Schwarz. “Bearing those figures in mind, our survey suggests that the mental well-being of over 400 million people could be impacted due to the daily burden of managing their condition.”
The survey was conducted in seven countries, including participants from Brazil, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain and USA.
The fear of developing complications (83%) was the most common factor impacting mental well-being. Other factors include daily diabetes management (76%), stigma and discrimination (58%) and fear of needles (55%).
A significant 79% of those surveyed reported experiencing diabetes burnout, primarily due to the emotional strain and demands of daily management. This led to three out of four affected stopping or interrupting their diabetes treatment due to stress or feeling overwhelmed.
The International Diabetes Federation is calling on better support for the impact of diabetes to improve health outcomes. Back to the top |
| | | | Virtual Reality health champions helps growth in XR healthcare innovations |
| VR Health Champions aims to transform healthcare through extended reality (XR) innovations. The €7.8 million three year long project hopes to “fast-track” advancements in clinical, laboratory and other healthcare related environments.
"While AI and XR ecosystems are expanding, companies in Central Eastern and Southern Europe face challenges like limited awareness among healthcare professionals and a shortage of skilled talents,” said Peter Nagy, a member of EIT Health InnoStars. The project is supported by a wide variety of healthcare groups, universities and industry leaders from Italy, Latvia, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Belgium and Germany. The effort is coordinated by Instituto Pedro Nunes and co-coordinated by EIT Health InnoStars with the help of five SMEs: Lightspace, MEEVA, MedApp, Metaskills and Virtuleap. With healthcare holding a large 11% of the XR market, this initiative seeks to capitalise on the potential for XR medical analysis, diagnostics, surgeries and therapies. [LW] Back to the top |
| | | | Fighting Tuberculosis: MSF calls for greater accessibility to treatments by tackling prices |
| The NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) called on Wednesday, November 13, at the Annual Union Conference on Lung Health in Bali, Indonesia, for equitable access to tuberculosis medicines and diagnostics.
The organisation first emphasised the need to address treatment prices, particularly by challenging patent monopolies that "have, for over a decade, prevented newer, safer medicines from reaching those who need them to stay alive."
"The prices of tests for extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and critical drugs like Delamanid remain exorbitant, and the community continues to tirelessly advocate for price reductions," commented Christophe Perrin, a pharmacist working on tuberculosis advocacy as part of MSF's Access Campaign.
Additionally, MSF is also calling on countries and donors, with the support of global health actors, to "finally begin attaching access conditions to public funding allocated for research and development."
"Only by linking access to R&D funding can we ensure that the resulting tests and treatments are truly affordable and accessible for those who need them, no matter where they live," Christophe Perrin added.
"What’s the use of a life-saving treatment if the people who need it can’t afford it? In summary, vital medical tools should never be a luxury," he concluded.
Campaigns led by the community active in the fight against tuberculosis have already yielded results. For example, the cost of treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis has dropped, in a little over a decade, from 5.600 euros to around 375 euros per person today. [TM] Back to the top |
| | | | | Polls on Swiss healthcare reforms vote show narrow lead in favour |
| Switzerland - On 24 November the Swiss will vote on healthcare reforms. According to a poll carried out by 20 minuten media, shows that it might be a narrower vote than expected with 46% are in favour and 44% against.
There also appears to be germanophone/francophone divide with the German-speaking population being much more favourable to the reforms (47%), compared to the French speakers (41%) and Italian speakers (37%).
The reform provides that both inpatient and outpatient treatments are covered by basic health insurance, using the same distribution key: 26.9% by the cantons, 73.1% by the health insurance funds.
Currently, the cantons pay nothing for outpatient treatment and cover 55% of the costs of inpatient care. It is hoped that the change would lead to patients choosing more treatments from their local practitioner and ease pressure on hospitals. Others are concerned that the changes could increase the cost of health insurance. Back to the top |
| | UK assisted dying bill safeguards fail to reassure disability rights group |
| United Kingdom - A proposed law legalising assisted dying in England and Wales has entered the House of Commons and will be voted on by MPs on 26 November.
The proposal, is what is known as a Private Members Bill. This means that it is a proposal that doesn’t come from the government, as is normally the case, but from an individual member of parliament who is not a member of the cabinet, in this instance MP Kim Leadbeater.
What safeguards does it have? The proposed legislation for England and Wales includes lengthy prison sentences for potential coercion and judicial powers to cross-examine patients. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who drafted the bill, said that the bill has “the strictest safeguards anywhere in the world.”
Any application for assisted dying would involve two doctors and a High Court judge to authorise assisted dying. The text specifies that the second doctor must be an independent party, but is chosen by the coordinating doctor (i.e., the first doctor).
Patients react: Some patients are concerned about the safeguards available around the UK assisted dying bill will be insufficient and that it may deflect from the need for good quality palliative care. “Assistance to die should not be easier to access than assistance to live. Parliament and government should not allow assisted dying when political choices undermine our lives, and rights, every day,” said Disability Rights UK.
The proposed bill explicitly excludes people suffering from a mental disorder or those with a disability, it is strictly limited to those who are terminally ill with no prospect of recovery.
Another assisted dying law was rejected in 2015, with 330 votes against and 118 in favour. [EP] Back to the top |
| | | | | | | | Mini-plenary, Brussels Debate on Enhancing Europe’s civilian and defence preparedness |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | INB, Pandemic Agreement, Geneva |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | Case T-36/23 Stevi and The New York Times v Commission Hearing Access to text messages exchanged between the President of the Commission and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | Today’s brief was brought to you by Euractiv’s Health team |
| | | | | Today’s briefing was prepared by the Health team: Catherine Feore, Clara Bauer-Babef, Emma Pirnay, Thomas Mangin, and Lydia Williams. Additional reporting by Nicole Verbeeck. Share your feedback or information with us at [email protected]. |
| | | Transfer to third parties is not authorised. If you found this newsletter valuable, please recommend a free trial. |
| | | | | | |
|
|
|
| |
|
